Workers at Plaza Community Services just began their first round of union collective bargaining. As SEIU Local 99 union members, Plaza employees now have the right to engage in negotiations with their employers over their contract and have a say in the working conditions salaries and Benefits  in their workplace.

What is Collective Bargaining?

Collective bargaining or contract negotiation is the official process where an employer and a union team representing workers meet to agree on pay, benefits, hours, job security, seniority, and other rules and conditions.

The union bargaining team negotiates a contract by putting forward proposals based on the general membership priorities, as identified through a bargaining survey.

The bargaining team, then, negotiates over these proposals and comes to an agreement with management on a binding written contract called a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which then members vote on to ratify.

Bargaining at Plaza Begins

SEIU Local 99’s Bargaining Team for Plaza includes a diverse group of workers across various job titles and classifications. 80% of represented workers filled out the Bargaining Survey put forward by the bargaining team, and the team is using this information to identify and address members’ top priorities which include better pay, better treatment, respect, improved PTO and more.

What the Union Team has Proposed So Far:

The Bargaining Team has already put forward proposals to establish union access rights, which would enable union stewards and representatives to access Plaza worksites to help address workers’ issues and build the union. The team has also proposed a grievance and arbitration procedure, which would establish a formal pathway for workers to address their issues, report unfair treatment, payroll issues, and more.

In the upcoming bargaining sessions, the union team aims to settle the procedure process and put forward additional proposals that include economic items such as pay and benefits. Stay tuned for updates on negotiations and ways you can get involved!

SEIU Local 99 Bargaining Team at Plaza Community Services (Left to Right): Gabriela Torres (Resource Teacher), Ena Dorantes (Infant Toddler Teacher), Lilia Rodriguez (Teacher), Katherine Bautista (Toddler Teacher), and Daisy Pena (Custodian)

Bargaining Team Member not pictured: Maria Mendez (Cook)