UNION TERMS GLOSSARY

A union is an organization that allows workers to collectively bargain with their employers. Unions allow workers to band together to make demands of their employer and take collective action to win positive changes to their working conditions – including increased pay, better benefits, and improved workplace safety. Many of the benefits we take for granted as workers now (such as weekends or child labor laws) were won by unions through the dedicated and tireless work of union members. 

GOLD-UE Local 261 is a labor organization built by and for graduate student workers at Dartmouth. Our mission is to collectively run a union that provides a secure and equitable workplace for graduate workers. Our current material conditions do not allow us to access adequate food, safe housing, or sufficient healthcare. We are not reliably protected from exploitation and abuse by our advisors. We unionized because we decided that enough is enough, and we are leveraging our collective power to win the major improvements that we need. Over the last two years, our movement has gained widespread support and participation among graduate workers. In 2022, GOLD affiliated with the United Electrical Workers (UE), and our chapter is Local 261 of this national union. In April 2023, we held an election that established GOLD-UE as a federally recognized labor union. Since August 2023, we have been bargaining for our union's first contract.

A contract, or collective bargaining agreement, is a legally-binding collection of workplace rights and benefits that have been agreed upon by a union and an employer. Contracts are negotiated by bargaining committees that represent each party. A contract explicitly lays out workplace protections and benefits that the employer is compelled to provide for their employees. Contracts are generally won through union efforts. Important terms in union contracts include provisions such as compensation, benefits, a grievance procedure, harassment and discrimination policies, and protections against unjust firing. 

Bargaining refers to the process of negotiating a contract. During bargaining, representatives of the union (known as the bargaining committee) meet with representatives of the employer to determine the provisions of the contract. These meetings are referred to as bargaining sessions­. Generally, the union will propose a contract with many different articles that address issues such as healthcare, pay, harassment policies, and grievance procedures. The employer will then provide counter offers for each of these articles, and the union will either respond or accept the article as a tentative agreement. The bargaining process will continue until either a tentative agreement is reached or both sides refuse to budge. If the employer refuses to meet the demands presented during bargaining, union members may elect to strike in order to pressure their employer to concede.   

The bargaining committee (BC) is a group of union members who have been elected to represent workers at the bargaining table. The role of the BC is to attend bargaining sessions and make demands that are in line with the membership's wishes. GOLD-UE elected our current BC in May 2023. Though the BC members are the only members obligated to participate in contract negotiations, we encourage all members to attend bargaining sessions and contribute to decisions regarding how we negotiate our contract.

A tentative agreement (TA) is a contract or part of a contract that has been agreed up on by the employer's and union's bargaining committees. Once tentative agreement is reached for the entire contract, the union will present the TA to its members who will vote to either ratify the TA as their contract or reject the TA and continue bargaining.

The bargaining unit defines the group of workers represented by a union. The makeup of a bargaining unit is generally established by the type of work performed by the employee. The GOLD-UE bargaining unit includes all Dartmouth graduate students who receive pay for research or teaching services. Approximately 800 workers belong in our bargaining unit and will be covered by the contract ratified by membership.

A strike – the act of collectively stopping labor – is the most powerful tool that a union has in the workplace. A strike occurs when union members collectively agree that they will stop working until the employer meets certain demands. Because employers rely on workers to operate their business, striking means that no more money is coming in for the boss. This puts pressure on the boss to concede to the union’s demands. 

A strike authorization vote (SAV) refers to the process in which union members may elect to authorize union leadership to call for a strike in the event that the boss refuses to meet the union's demands. A strike is a collective action and only works with mass participation. Therefore, strikes must be decided on collectively. When a SAV passes, it is the responsibility of all union members to respect this democratic decision and withhold their labor alongside their coworkers. 

A strike fund, or hardship fund, is a pool of money that a union builds up over time to assist workers who lose pay during a strike. Strike funds are distributed to workers who are unable to afford rent, food, medical care, or other necessities in the event that pay is withheld.

Union dues are financial contributions members pay to their union in order to help the organization function. The collection and distribution of union dues is decided through democratic processes such as contract negotiations or the establishment of bylaws. Dues can be used for a variety of purposes, including building a strong strike fund or hiring a third-party arbiter to assist with resolving contract violations.

UE members pay dues that add up to ~1.4% of a their paycheck. Because we do not yet have a contract, we do not require dues. If you would like to contribute to our union's fund, you can sign up for voluntary dues starting at $5/month.

While contracts cover all workers within the bargaining unit, membership and participation by employees in the union is voluntary. Any grad worker can become a GOLD-UE member by signing a union card. Only members are allowed to vote in union elections, propose formal resolutions, and run for elected positions. 

The Collective Action Team (CAT) is currently the organizing body of GOLD-UE. CAT members help organize and facilitate union meetings, plan collective actions, communicate with members, and manage union finances. Sign up here to talk to an organizer about getting involved!

Affiliation refers to the process in which a bargaining unit elects to join a larger 'parent' union made up of many local chapters. Parent unions have a leadership structure and staff, including an elected president, regional leaders, lawyers, accountants, and field organizers. Locals contribute some percentage of their dues to the parent union, which allows access to these resources. 

In July 2022, our members overwhelmingly voted to affiliate with the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (UE). Despite the name, UE covers many sectors, including other grad unions such as MIT, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Cornell, Stanford, and University of Chicago. We chose to join UE because they are run by and for the members.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is a federal government agency tasked with overseeing labor law and union/employer relations. The NLRB decides which labor unions are legally recognized and which workplace actions are sanctioned. The NLRB also writes and enforces labor law. If an employer violates labor law, a union can file an unfair labor practice (ULP) with the NLRB. The agency would then adjudicate the ULP and determine a penalty for the employer if they are found guilty. Firing a worker for union activity is an example of a ULP. 

Recognition refers to the process in which a union becomes formally established and gains the ability to compel the employer to bargain a contract. An employer may voluntarily choose to recognize a union. However, it is more common for unions to gain recognition through an election facilitated by the NLRB. Gaining recognition provides some legal protections for union members, but it is important to note that, with or without recognition, it is illegal for an employer to retaliate against workers for participating in union activities.