Your union contract is a written agreement with your employer. It defines your wages, benefits, conditions of employment, and rights on the job. It is enforceable through a grievance procedure and ultimately in a court of law.

Most union contracts are renegotiated every three years, although some contracts run for only one year and others run for as long as six years. How long the contract runs is up to you and your negotiating committee. The ILWU is a democratic union and members are involved in every step of the negotiation process.

Before the old contract expires, the union members at your company (which we call a “unit” in the ILWU) will be asked for their input and ideas on what to change in the contract. This is usually done at a membership meeting called by the officers of your Unit. This is one good reason why you should attend union meetings. It’s your chance to improve your union contract.

Your unit will also select a committee to represent them in negotiations witht management. This committee is usually composed of your elected unit officers, but many units will expand the committee to make sure different parts of your unit are representted. For example, a hotel unit might select a committee with members from different departments like housekeeping, food and beverage, maintenance, and front desk.

The Local or Division office will also assign a full-time business agent or officer to work with your negotiating committee as your spokesperson.

When your committee thinks a fair settlement with management has been reached, they must get your vote of approval before the new contract can be finalized. This happens at a membership meeting where your committee will report on the settlement. This is another part of ILWU democracy, which requires membership approval for all contract settlements.

In rare cases, management may refuse to agree to a fair settlement and your committee may ask you to authorize a strike.

Your union contract is a very important document. You should read the contract and be familiar with its terms. You should challenge management whenever they violate the contract. You can get a copy from your unit officers.

By organizing industrially, the ILWU had to build solidarity among a wide range of workers: immigrants and locals, men and women, tipped and non-tipped, more technical and less technical, and so on...The ILWU has built solidarity among all these groups by using ILWU principles of equality, fairness, and democracy.