Tools for Union Members
Union members need to know our rights on the job and how to enforce those rights for ourselves and our fellow members.
Employment laws provide a minimum set of rights which apply differently to private and public workers and their employers whether they belong to a union or not.
However, the Union Contract, or Collective Bargaining Agreement, provides Union members with additional rights that have been negotiated between the Union members and their Employer:
A Voice on the Job
Fair Treatment
Benefits
Steady Wages
These rights and others are only enforceable through the Union contract.
This means that if you have a question or a problem on the job, the first thing you should do is contact your Steward and get a copy of your contract and read it.
Ask your Steward for help, if you don't understand something. Each and every word in your contract was bargained between the Employer and the Union, perhaps multiple times, so many contracts are often hard to read.
That's what your Steward is for. They are there to help you and they have been trained on the language of your contract and how to enforce your rights as a Union member. But sometimes the problem is complicated and if your Steward doesn't know the answer, please contact : SEIU 888's Member Information Department at 617-241-3300.
Don't be shy and don't wait until the problem becomes a crisis. If you have a problem at your workplace, it is best to involve the union immediately. Your Stewards and Union Staff are there for you and will always provide you with advice and assistance.
Below is a collection of tools and resources available to SEIU 888 Members: