Resources
Glossary
Unions have created special words for what we do and how we do it. The list below defines some of the commonly used terms.
Bargaining Committee – A group of employees elected by their coworkers to negotiate a collective agreement. The Bargaining Committee receives assistance from the Union Negotiator.
Bargaining Unit – A group of workers who bargain collectively with the employer. The unit may include all the workers in a single location or in a number of locations, or it may include only the workers in a single position or department. The final unit is determined by the Labour Relations Board, or agreed to jointly by the union and the employer.
Certification – The process by which the Labour Relations Board gives approval for the union to represent the bargaining unit. Certification is given after a successful secret ballot vote.
Chapter – A group of bargaining units, used mainly for administrative purposes. Placement in a chapter may be determined by the size of the bargaining unit, its location and/or region, or its similarity with units within that chapter.
Collective Agreement or Contract – A collective agreement is the result of the Bargaining Committee’s negotiation of the employees’ wages, hours and other conditions of employment, voted on and approved by the bargaining unit.
Employer Time – Time that belongs to your employer while you are at work. This does not include your breaks or before and after work.
Investigation – The investigation includes ensuring that 40% of you and your coworkers signed the petition, determining if an appropriate bargaining unit has been applied for, and setting a date for the Labour Relations Board hearing. Employees are not required to attend the hearing, but are welcome to do so.
Local – A group of chapters, used mainly for administrative purposes. Placement in a local may be determined by the size of the chapter, its location and/or region, or its similarity with chapters within that local.
Mandatory Freeze Period – The period in which it is illegal for the employer to make changes to wages or any other condition of employment, unless it would be considered part of business as usual, or if the union gave consent. The first freeze period starts when the union submits the application for certification, and ends thirty days from that date. The second freeze period begins when the union gives the employer notice that they wish to begin collective bargaining, and ends sixty days from that date.
Negotiating or Bargaining – A process by which workers, through their Bargaining Committee, negotiate as a group to determine wages, hours and other conditions of employment. Normally, the result of collective bargaining is a collective agreement.
Strike – A work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to perform work.
Union Negotiator – A staff member at AUPE, experienced in bargaining collective agreements, that will assist and guide the Bargaining Committee throughout the process.
Union Representatives – Staff of AUPE that specialize in the areas of negotiation, interpreting contracts, arbitrations, classifications, insurance appeals, benefit plan issues, assistance to disabled and injured workers, a return to work after a period of receiving long-term disability benefits, pensions and many other employment issues.