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WHO NEGOTIATES OUR CONTRACT?

After you and your coworkers win recognition as a Union, you elect coworkers to a bargaining committee. This elected bargaining committee distributes surveys to find out what you want in your contract. The committee then sits down with a Union staff person to draft a first contract proposal.

The Union staff representative gives the committee the knowledge and experience of negotiating many contracts. In addition, Union leadership, who deal with Alcoa on a daily basis, will also be able to offer advice and assistance, based on 60 years of experience with the company.

WHO DECIDES WHAT IS IN OUR CONTRACT?

You and your co-workers will make that decision. Through bargaining surveys and membership meetings, your elected bargaining committee will bring your ideas and your priorities to the negotiations.

Once the elected bargaining committee reaches a tentative agreement with management, it is brought before all of the members for a vote. The membership makes the decision to accept or reject the proposed Union contract through a secret ballot vote, also known as a ratification vote.

WILL WE HAVE TO STRIKE?

Alcoa's policy is to respect the rights of employees to choose to join a Union and will negotiate for a fair and equitable contract if you do so.

Thousands of Alcoans who recently joined the USW in Hawesville, Kentucky, Auburn, Indiana, Texarkana, Texas, Danville, Illinois, Lebanon, Virginia, and Chandler, Arizona were all able to negotiate good first contracts without a strike.