The union is US. Mercedes workers. WE decide what happens next. After we win our union, we have to win our union contract for a better life at Mercedes. We go through SIX STEPS to win a first contract.
Step 1: Elect our team. We vote for our bargaining representatives made up of Mercedes workers to go to the negotiating table with management.
Step 2: Set bargaining priorities. Fill out bargaining surveys to provide direct guidance to our elected bargaining committee about what we want in a contract.
Step 3: Meet with the company. With our goals set, the bargaining committee, with extensive support from the UAW staff and national leadership, meets with Mercedes management as equals to win a lifechanging first contract.
Step 4: Vote on it! Once the bargaining committee reaches a “tentative agreement,” Mercedes workers will have a chance to vote on whether or not to accept the union contract.
Step 5: Enforce it. Once we have a legally binding union contract, we make sure that Mercedes sticks to it by electing local union leaders who enforce the pay, benefits and rights we won in our contract to make sure everyone is getting a fair deal.
While we’re negotiating our first contract, the company cannot make major changes to the workplace without negotiating with us first. That means our October “annual” raise, pay progressions, and bonuses must continue until we negotiate something better.