But if the members at a particular workplace are not willing to accept an inferior settlement they can decide to take a strike vote. A strike vote raises the stakes in negotiations, and contracts are often settled after a strike vote but before a strike is begun. In the cases where members have felt it necessary to strike, most SONG strikes have been settled after two weeks or less. That depends on what the members want, and what we can negotiate with the company. The members at your workplace will determine their own priorities, and negotiations will reflect those priorities.
Members have the right to ratify any settlement that is reached, by secret ballot vote.
However, it is fair to say that most newly organized groups negotiate contracts that are similar to those negotiated in similar-sized unionized publications. Any full-time or part time employee is eligible. However, labour laws exclude from unionization anyone who exercises managerial authority, including for example, the authority to hire and fire. Often we have disagreements with companies over who is managerial and the labour board has to decide. We usually argue that anyone who wants to be protected by a union should have that right.