Inland Empire Labor Council , AFL-CIO

Agency Shop

“The agency shop is a provision in a union contract that requires all nonunion member employees in a bargaining unit, as a condition of employment, to pay the union a fixed amount, usually the same as dues, for services rendered by the union. Where they exist, they greatly strengthen the union and insure its financial base. Agency shop means that the members don’t have to subsidize services for nonmembers. Unions are required by law to provide the same services to nonmembers in a bargaining unit as they provide to members.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Agreement
(Contract)

“An agreement, or a contract, is a written agreement between an employer and an employee organization; usually for a definite term, defining conditions of employment, rights of employees and the employee organization, and procedures for settling disputes.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Arbitration

“Usually the final step of a grievance procedure in which a dispute between a union and an employer is taken to an outside professional arbitrator for decision. In some contracts, the arbitrator’s decision is binding; in others it is advisory.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Authorization Card
(Cards, Card Drive)

“The process of petitioning for an election of a bar. gaining representative is begun when the employees sign cards designating a particular union as their representative. When 30% of the bargaining unit has signed cards, the National Labor Relations Board will, if asked, put the election procedure into motion.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Auxiliary or Affiliated Organizations

“Organizations allied to the labor movement that represents particular interests of their members. These organizations may also be close allies of broader movements for change. Examples include. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), and PRIDE at Work.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Authorization Card (Cards, Card Drive)

“The process of petitioning for an election of a bar. gaining representative is begun when the employees sign cards designating a particular union as their representative. When 30% of the bargaining unit has signed cards, the National Labor Relations Board will, if asked, put the election procedure into motion.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Bargaining Agent

“The union designated by a government agency, such as the National Labor Relations Board, or recognized voluntarily by the employer as the exclusive representative of all employees in the bargaining unit for purposes of collective bargaining.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Business Agent
B.A. Union Representative

“The process of petitioning for an election of a bar. gaining representative is begun when the employees sign cards designating a particular union as their representative. When 30% of the bargaining unit has signed cards, the National Labor Relations Board will, if asked, put the election procedure into motion.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Bargaining Unit
(Negotiating Unit)

“A group of workers who bargain collectively with the employer. The unit may include all the workers in a single plant or in a number of plants, or it may include only the workers in a single craft or department. The final unit is determined by the NLRB or agreed to jointly by the union and the employer.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 276)

Certification Election

“An election usually conducted by the National Labor Relations Board or a state board, in which employees vote for or against union representation. Often several unions compete against each other in the election. ‘No representation’ is automatically listed as an option on the ballot. Voting is secret.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Check-Card Check Recognition

“Procedure whereby signed authorization cards are checked against a list of employees in a prospective bargaining unit to determine if the union has majority status. The employer may recognize the union on the basis of this check without the necessity of a formal election. The negotiation with an employer for card check recognition is often conducted by an outside party, such as a respected member of the community. Increasingly, unions are pressuring employers to follow card check recognition procedures instead of the expensive and lengthy delays of an election conducted by the NLRB, and national legislation is pending.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Check-Off

“A contract clause authorizing the employer to deduct union dues from paychecks of those members who authorize dues deduction.The employer then transfers the dues to the unions.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Change to Win

“Seven unions left the AFL-CIO in 2005 to form a new national labor federation. The unions are International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), Laborers’ International Union of workers of North America (LIUNA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC), United Farm Workers of America (UFW), United Food and Commercial Workers International (UFCW), and UNITE-HERE.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Initially made up of 7 unions, most have rejoined the AFL-CIO except for the UBC and the UFW. Change to Win is now the Strategic Organizing Center.

Collective Bargaining

“A process, usually regulated by law, in which a group of employees and their employer negotiate issues of wages, hours, and other conditions of the employer-employee relationship for the purpose of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement, and the execution of a written contract incorporating that agreement.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Concerted Activity

“The rights, protected by the National Labor Relations Act, of two or more employees to act in concert to affect their wages, hours of work or working conditions, to form, join or assist labor organizations.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Constitution and Bylaws

“Legal documents governing the administration of local and international unions. Adopted by union conventions of by membership vote, these rules generally cover elections and duties of officers, conventions, committees and dues.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Cost of Living Clause/Escalator Clause

“A section of a contract providing that workers will receive an automatic raise in pay when the Consumer Price Index of the Labor Department goes up. The raise is based on a formula of so many tenths of a percent for each point’s rise of the index.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Community Workforce Agreement

A Community Workforce Agreement or CWA is a contract negotiated before construction work starts on a specific public project or a set of public projects within a certain timeframe. These contracts typically include standards such as: prevailing wage, specific hiring needs (e.g. local hire, a certain percentage of workers must be apprentices), and strong safety requirements. These standards are met by developers in exchange for no-strike clauses, mitigating potential work stoppages due to strikes or safety issues.

Community Benefits Agreement

“A CBA (Community Benefits Agreement) is a legally enforceable contract, which sets forth a range of community benefits that a project proponent agrees to provide as part of a project. CBAs are often established between developers and coalitions of community organizations to ensure affected residents share in the benefits of development projects.” (Department of Toxic Substances Control, n.d.)

Davis Bacon Laws

“Laws that require the prevailing wage be paid on federally financed construction projects. Many states have ‘little Davis Bacon’ laws that require projects financed by state monies to pay prevailing wages.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

Decertification

“Withdrawal by a government agency, such as the NLRB, of a union’s official recognition as the exclusive bargaining representative. The NLRB will withdraw certification if a majority of employees vote against their union representative in a decertification election.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 277)

District Council

“Several local unions of the same international in a given geographic area may form a district council as a way of sharing staff and reducing overhead costs. The council coordinates bargaining and provides services to the members. Council leadership is elected by members of the locals.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Employee Stock Ownership Plan
(ESOP)

“A plan whereby a block of company stock is transferred to employees. In some ESOPs, unions or employee organizations buy a controlling interest in a company and become the management. Other ESOPs are established by the existing management to protect themselves from corporate raiders, to secure tax benefits, or to avoid commitments to pensioners.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Excelsior List

“Established in the case of “Excelsior Underwear.” the list of names and addresses of employees eligible to vote in a union election. It is normally provided by the employer to the union within ten days after the election date has been set or agreed upon at the NLRB.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Fact Finder(s)

“An individual or group appointed to receive facts in an employment dispute and make recommendations for settlement. Fact finders are usually chosen by the parties to the dispute; they may be appointed by a court, or by a mayor or governor in the case of a public employee dispute.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

“A service provided by the government to help deadlocked negotiators reach a settlement. This agency is less concerned with the merits of the issues that are brought before it, and more concerned with avoiding or ending strikes.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Grievance

“A formal complaint by an employee which charges that management has violated some aspect of the union contract.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Grievance Procedure

“Grievance Procedure A formal procedure specified in a union contract, which provides for he adjustment of grievances through discussion a aggressively higher levels of authority in management and the union, which could lead to arbitration by a neutral party.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

International Representative

“A staff member of an international union, often an organizer. International Reps report directly to someone in the union’s national headquarters, unlike business agents and other staff on local payrolls.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

International Union

“A national union is called international because it represents workers in Canada and/or Puerto Rico. It is the parent body of local unions. The jurisdiction of an international union is usually industrial or craft in character, although in the last decade the lines have blurred. Today, many unions will organize any type of employee if the opportunity arises.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Joint Board

“A structure very much like a District Council wherein the executive boards of several local unions of the same international will amalgamate themselves into a joint board for a certain geographic area or a trade.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Jurisdiction

“The specific industry, craft or geographical area a local union is chartered to organize or represent.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

L- M Reports

“The annual financial statement of income and expenses, including salaries of union officers and staff that unions are required to file with the Labor Management (LM) Division of the U.S. Labor Department.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Local Representative

“The staff member of a local union. People with this title perform a wide range of duties usually related to servicing con-tracts. Unlike a Business Agent, this is rarely an elected title. In unions where officers are often staff, there is a major distinction of power and standing between people elected to paid positions and those merely hired.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 278)

Local Union

“A group of organized employees holding a charter from a national or international labor organization. A local may be confined to union members in one company or one specific locality, or it may cover multiple contracts with various employers.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Lockout

“A denial of employment by the employer for the purpose of forcing workers to settle on the employer’s terms.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Master Contract

“A union contract covering several companies in one industry.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Mediation
(Conciliation)

“An attempt by a third party to help in negotiations or the settlement of a labor dispute through suggestions, advice, or other ways of stimulating an agreement, short of dictating provisions.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB)

“An agency of the U.S. Government that enforces the Wagner and Taft Harley Acts. It conducts most private sector certification elections.
The NLRB‘s function is to define appropriate bargaining units, hold elections, determine majority status for voluntary card check recognition, to certify unions to represent employees, to interpret and apply the law’s provisions prohibiting employer and union unfair labor practices, and to otherwise enforce the provisions of U.S. labor laws, which it often fails to do.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Negotiating Committee

“A committee composed of members of a union that meets with company negotiators to negotiate a contract. Often the committee is a large body, which has the responsibility of deciding the union’s bargaining position. A smaller group of leaders of the committee may form the negotiating team, which participates in the actual meetings with management.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Neutrality Agreements

“An agreement between a union and employer requiring the employer not to oppose the efforts of their workers to organize a union.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Occupational Safety and Health Administration – OSHA

“The federal agency responsible for setting and maintaining health standards in the workplace, particularly related to toxic chemicals, noise, and air quality, as well as machine safety. OSHA has been rendered highly ineffective by reductions in the number of inspectors. As a result, many unions are now establishing health and safety committees.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Open Shop

“A workplace in which employees do not have to belong to the union or pay dues to secure or retain employment with a company, even though there may be a collective bargaining agreement. The union is obligated by law to represent members and non-members equally regardless of whether it is an open shop or a union shop.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Organizer
(or union or union labor organizer)

“Employee of a union or federation (usually paid but sometimes a volunteer) whose duties include recruiting new members for the union, assisting in forming unions in non-union companies, leading campaigns for recognition, etc.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Organizing Committee

“The employees in a non-union shop who are designated to represent their co-workers during the representation campaign. Organizing committee members, among other things, usually sign-up their coworkers on authorization cards or petitions, handout leaflets, attend meetings and visit workers at home in support of the union effort.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 279)

Piece Work

“Pay by the number of units completed. The theory is that the faster you work, the more you get paid. Many workers have learned that once they exceed a certain speed, the rate gets cut.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Project Labor Agreements
(PLA)

“Agreements between a public entity and construction unions that set wages, benefits and other working conditions on construction projects. They require all contractors working on the job, union or non-union, to pay union wages, provide health insurance and other benefits. and hire workers through union hiring halls. Project Labor Agreements are designed to protect construction workers while providing the highest quality construction for local communities by setting standards that protect communities from contractors that have low wages, unsafe conditions and limited training opportunities.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Prevailing Wage

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Prevailing wage rate is the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation in the area of intended employment.” This is typically the union wage, so even non-union workers are paid union wages on projects that pay the prevailing wage.

Parity

According to Merriam-Webster: the quality or state of being equal or equivalent. Used in organized labor, such as NUHW, in their demand for Southern California Kaiser workers to have parity in wages with their Northern California counterparts. This demand is what spurred their current ongoing strike against Kaiser Permanente.

Rank and File

“The member of a union as distinct from the officers.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Ratification Election

“When a negotiating committee reaches a tentative agreement, it must then by law, and usually the union’s constitution, submit the agreement to the whole membership for a vote.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Regions

“Like joint boards or district councils, regions are another form of intermediate organization between a local union and the international union. Joint boards and councils are usually composed of small locals and their service members. Regions more often have administrative and legislative functions, and are bodies through which the services of the international are delivered to the locals. Regions have staff and their officers are usually elected.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Representation Election

“An election conducted to determine by a majority vote of the employees in an appropriate bargaining unit, which if any, union is desired as their representative. These elections are usually conducted by the National Labor Relations Board by a state labor relations board.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Recognition

“When an employer agrees to recognize a union as the bargaining agent for the employees.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

“Right to Work Laws”

“An anti-union term coined to describe state laws that make it illegal for a collective bargaining agreement to contain clauses requiring union membership as a condition of employment. (See Open Shop.)” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Scab 🐀

“A derogatory term used for a person who crosses a picket line in order to work at a place that is on strike. Also used as a verb as in ‘Don’t scab.’” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Seniority

“A worker’s length of service with an employer. Under a union contract, seniority often determines promotions, layoffs, recalls, or transfers.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Shop Steward
(Representative or Delegate)

“A worker, typically elected, who officially represents other workers on the job, enforces the contract and helps people with grievances.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Speed-Up or Stretch-Out

“An increase in the amount of work an employee is expected to do without an increase in pay. The speed of the machines may be increased (speed-up), or the worker may be required to tend a greater number of machines (stretch-out).” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

State Labor Federation
(State Fed, State Labor Council)

“A body of the AFL-CIO organized on the state level. State Feds exist in all 50 states, and are composed of local unions and local labor councils. They function mainly as labor’s political and legislative arm. Their officers are elected at a convention.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Stipulation by Consent Agreement
(Stip)

“An agreement between an employer and the union, sanctioned by the NLRB, which establishes the terms of the election and the scope of the bargaining unit.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 280)

Street Heat

“Multi-union rapid response team, developed through Central Labor Councils, made up of union members and community allies in an area that can mobilize support for union and community campaigns.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Taft Harley Act (1947)

“A major piece of legislation regulating collective bargaining today. Passed in 1947 over the veto of President Truman, the Act was referred to by the legendary John L. Lewis of the United Mine Workers of America as, “the first ugly, savage trust of Fascism in America.” The act repealed many of the rights given to labor by the Wagner Act and the Norris-LaGuardia Act. Among many other things, it re-instituted injunctions against strikes and allowed for court-ordered “cooling-off” periods and bans on mass picketing. It permitted employers to sue unions for “Unfair Labor Practices,” abolished the closed shop, prohibited secondary boycotts, encouraged the passage of “right to work” laws, prohibited unions from making political campaign contributions, and required all union officers on every level to swear a noncommunist affidavit. In today’s circumstances, the two provisions that are most onerous are that it allowed employers to refuse to recognize a union designated by a majority of workers (forcing an NLRB election) and it freed employers to campaign for a NO VOTE.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Trusteeship
(Receivership)

“In extreme circumstances, usually associated with corruption, a local union can lose its right to govern its own affairs, and a trustee will be designated by the international to supervise the local. Trustees are sometimes designated by a court of law. On rare occasions, trusteeship has been used against resident embers who are trying to reform the international leadership.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Unfair Labor Practice
ULP

“A charge filed with a court or regulatory agency stating that an action by either an employer or an employee organization violates provisions of a national or state labor law.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Unfair Labor Practice Strike

“A strike caused at least in part by an employer’s unfair labor practices. By law, during such a strike, management may only hire temporary replacements who are supposed to be let go at the end of the strike.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Union Label or Bug

“A stamp or tag on a product, or a card in a store to show that the work is done by union labor. The bug is the printer’s symbol. The small number near the bug usually indicates the shop in which the material was printed. Union bugs have been known to be counterfeited, particularly on a candidate’s campaign literature.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Union Local

“A branch of an international union. Locals are the one part of the labor structure in which members actually join, and which represent vis-a-vis their employers. Union members are the local members first, and are members of national unions and federations by virtue of being local members. A local’s jurisdiction or “turf” may be one plant, office or shop. It may be one company. It may be geographic, covering a city or part of a state. On rare occasions, locals are nationally chartered (e.g. Local 925 of the Service Employees Union.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Union Density

“The portion of the workforce that is organized by unions; Higher density is an important factor in unions’ power to drive higher wages and benefits and better working conditions for a workforce.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Union Security

“Protection of a union’s status by provisions in a contract. (e.g. sole representation, union shop, agency, shop, maintenance of membership, check off, etc.)” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Union Shop

“Form of a union security provided in the collective bargaining agreement that requires employees to belong to or pay dues to the union as a condition of employment.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 281)

Voice at Work

“The Freedom to Choose a Union is a campaign that protect workers’ rights to join a union free from employer interference in organizing campaigns.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 282)

Volunteer Organizing Committee

“Term sometimes used to describe union members who volunteer for the union during organizing campaigns. Volunteers may donate their time or be compensated for lost wages while they assist the campaign by visiting workers at their homes, leafleting, and attending meetings” (Bobo et al., 2001, 282)

Wagner Act
(National Labor Relations Act)

“The main legislation regulating collective bar-gaining. In 1933, a year in which over 900,000 workers struck for union recognition, Congress passed the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) of which section 7 (a) guaranteed, for the first time in American history, that workers have the right to organize unions. After 1,500,000 workers struck for recognition in 1934 and 1,150,000 struck the next year, the Supreme Court invalidated the NIRA in May of 1935. In July, 1935, the Wagner Act was passed, again giving workers the right to organize and bargain collectively. The Act established the National Labor Relations Board to administer private sector bargaining and hold representation elections.” (Bobo et al., 2001, 282)