Building an effective bargaining committee

The primary factors for the determination of who will serve on the bargaining committee are the constitution and by-laws of the organization. Some unions require bargaining committees to be elected while others provide for ex officio or appointed service. No matter how a committee is constituted, it is important that the members of that committee remember that their responsibility is to represent all members in the bargaining unit, not just those of a particular subgroup within the local. For example, a person may become a member of a bargaining committee (either elected or appointed) has a specific skill, trade, or classification, but once on the committee, that member is a representative of the entire membership. Their responsibility becomes to work for the greater good of the whole, not individuals by focusing on issues that are deeply and widely supported by the full membership.

This is important to remember when key elements or subgroups of the membership are not specifically represented on the committee. A bargaining committee cannot include representation from all real or potential subgroups of members. There should be no missing voices on the committee even if there are important groups of members without designated representation.