What is my Union Contract?
Your contract is a legally binding document that details the majority of your rights and responsibilities during your employment.
This document was negotiated by two parties:
1. Your union through a committee of your co-workers and representatives from company management and ownership.
2. It was then put to a vote of those in our union (ratified).
You are also given an employee handbook when you begin working for the employer. This document is a packet of policies that supplement the contract, but if there is a conflict, the Collective Bargaining Agreement rules.
In the event where casino or hotel policy contradicts wording in the contract, contract language wins. When neither the contract nor handbook addresses a particular issue, “past practice” dictates how the situation should be handled.
What do I do if I feel my rights have been violated?
1. Check the facts in your contract! Many of the answers you seek are detailed in this document. For instance: holiday pay, vacation time, healthcare, retirement plan, discipline, grievance procedure (a system for fighting disciplinary action), scheduling, seniority, etc.
2. Talk to a steward or your worker advocate
(a) File a Step One, if your CBA has a Step One process.
3. File a grievance – see the grievance procedure section in your contract for how to do this. Make sure to check how many days you have to file it, as grievances are time sensitive and must be filed in person at the union office.
