Last week, we talked about the difference between a company policy and a collective agreement.

This week, we want to look at one of the biggest reasons that difference matters:

What happens when things change at work?

New technology. Production changes. New classifications. Job openings. Layoffs. Contracting out. New supervisors.

Change is a normal part of any workplace.

Workers can't control every business decision an employer makes. But with a union, employees can negotiate rules about how those decisions affect them.

If you haven't signed your confidential Unifor membership card yet, you can do so here:

👉 CLICK HERE TO SIGN YOUR CONFIDENTIAL UNION MEMBERSHIP CARD

Seniority Is More Than How Long You've Worked There

One of the things workers often negotiate into a collective agreement is seniority.

Seniority can help establish clear rules around things like:

✔ Job postings and promotions

✔ Layoffs and recalls

✔ Transfers

✔ Overtime opportunities

✔ Vacation selection

Instead of wondering how a decision will be made, workers can negotiate a process that everyone understands.

And once those rules are in the collective agreement, both the company and employees are required to follow them.

What About Job Security?

No union can promise that a company will never experience a slowdown, introduce new technology or make changes to its operations.

What a union can do is give workers a seat at the table when those changes affect their jobs.

Collective agreements can contain protections dealing with issues such as:

✔ Layoff and recall procedures

✔ Contracting out

✔ Job classifications

✔ New or changed jobs

✔ Transfers

✔ Severance

✔ Notice of workplace changes

The exact language isn't predetermined.

Dyna-Mig workers would decide what they want to negotiate.

Look at F&P

We don't have to look very far to see what this can mean.

Workers at unionized F&P have negotiated collective agreement language covering important issues such as seniority, job postings, layoffs and recalls, classifications and contracting out.

That doesn't mean Dyna-Mig would automatically receive the same agreement.

It means Dyna-Mig workers would finally have the same opportunity to sit across the bargaining table and negotiate protections of their own.

What Happens When the Rules Aren't Followed?

This is another important difference.

A collective agreement doesn't just put workplace rights in writing.

It gives workers a way to enforce them.

If the union believes the employer has violated the collective agreement, it can file a grievance.

If the issue can't be resolved, the grievance can ultimately be heard by an independent arbitrator.

That means enforcing your workplace rights doesn't have to depend on an individual employee taking on management alone.

You have your union behind you.

This Week's Question

Think about your own workplace.

If things changed at Dyna-Mig tomorrow, which protection would matter most to you?

Would it be:

• Seniority?
• Job security?
• Layoff and recall rights?
• Job postings?
• Contracting out?
• Classification and wage protections?
• Something else?

We want to hear from you.

These conversations are important because if Dyna-Mig workers choose Unifor, your priorities will help determine what your bargaining committee takes to the negotiating table.

Have You Signed Your Card?

If you've already signed your confidential Unifor membership card, thank you.

If you haven't, we're asking you to sign today.

The stronger the support from Dyna-Mig employees, the stronger your collective voice can become.

👉 SIGN OR UPDATE YOUR CONFIDENTIAL MEMBERSHIP CARD HERE

Over the next few weeks, we'll continue looking at what workers can accomplish through collective bargaining and the real differences between having workplace policies and having negotiated workplace rights.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.