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One-on-one conversations are the best way to connect with members about important issues like bargaining. Use this guide in conversations with members and hand out Righteous Work – Just Pay stickers following the conversations.
The purpose of these one-on-one conversations with members is to:
- Find out what the key issues are for bargaining.
- Know what collective bargaining is and why it’s important.
- Build contact lists (non-work e-mail, phone and address) for collective bargaining.
Introductions
- Introduce yourself and your position in the union
- Open the conversation with something like:
We’re starting to ramp up for another round of bargaining. We are wondering how aware members are about the collective bargaining process. We are reaching out to all our members to hear what you think.
Questions
- Have you been involved in collective bargaining before?
- What are your top issues at work?
- How do you think member participation contributes to the process?
- Do you mind giving me your email address and phone number? We need to make sure we can keep everyone informed of what happens in bargaining.
Key points to make
- Collective bargaining has allowed us to make gains such as [enter information here].
- Collective bargaining is the process through which we improve our working conditions and wages. We develop a list of demands, we sit down with our employer and we negotiate a new contract.
- It’s really important to participate in bargaining activities so our employer knows we’re serious and united. We’re asking all members to wear these Righteous Work – Just Pay stickers next week.
- Collective bargaining works. I hope that you’ll take part in bargaining activities!
Resources
- Use the Fairness Conversation Tracking Form to track the information. Contact fairness [at] cupe.ca (fairness[at]cupe[dot]ca) for more information on available tools to support ongoing conversations with your members.
- Hand out Righteous Work – Just Pay stickers. You can find the graphics files to print here.
- Contact socialservices [at] cupe.ca (socialservices@cupe.ca) with any questions.
Read more
Social services sector
CUPE has a strong presence in the social services sector representing 54,700 members in over 500 bargaining units in communities across the country. Eighty-five per cent of workers in the sector are women. CUPE members in the social services sector provide a range of services and supports to people who are often vulnerable, marginalized, and impoverished.
CUPE social services workers help women and children flee domestic violence, protect children from harm and neglect, work with adults with development disabilities, provide employment counselling, administer social assistance, provide services and supports to people living with HIV and AIDS, and many more vital public services too numerous to mention. CUPE social service workers are employed by transfer payment agencies, municipal governments that provide social services, and non-profit community agencies.
New social services campaign template
We’ve created graphics you can use in your local campaigns from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Use it in bargaining, to mobilize your members or put pressure on the government. This follows from the success of the Respect campaign, which was launched in 2002. We think the slogan gets at key issues in the sector. Social services workers do really important work in our communities yet wages are not in line with the value of their work. We hope this campaign is useful to your local and resonates with your members!
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Bargaining conversation guide
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