The collective bargaining between the Trustee of Columbia University and Local 2110 International Union is like a contract between management and labor. Collective bargaining is a negotiation of work and employment terms in writing between the employer and the trade union regarding pay rate, working hours, and other work conditions. The difference between CBA and contract is that CBA covers terms and conditions for many workers, while a contract is between management and employee.
The CBA between the Trustees and the union is written at correct levels of detail. It is written in articles and sections with well-defined terms, making it easy for logical interpretation by the parties. Most of the areas are easy to read and understand as they are straightforward and require no explanation. The section “grievance and arbitration” in article five of the CBA highlights the steps and procedures that employees or representatives of the university should follow to resolve disagreements (Collective Bargaining Agreement, 2012). The section gives the panel members to be present during the hearing and the cause of action when one party fails to honor the agreement. There is a listed step guide for both parties on how to forward and initiate employment claims.
The segment “No Strike No Lockout” in article four of the CBA between the Trustees of Columbia University and Local 2110 union is well presented. The section elaborates acknowledgment of the rights and responsibilities of different parties to the agreement (p. 4). It clarifies that during the life of the contract, the union cannot allow employees to participate in strikes, slow down or stop work in the university. In addition, such activities shall not be authorized, and no staff can engage or participate in such activities (Collective Bargaining Agreement, 2012). Under this part, the language used is easy to understand as the union will not permit any strike against the employer. There is detailed action and consequences for any staff taking part in such listed activities. Many chapters are written in detail, such as the wages section and resignation.
The dress code area in the appendix of the collective bargaining is vague and needs more specific details. The section states that men and women may wear “Footwear in good taste (shoes or dress sandals)” (Collective Bargaining Agreement, 2012, p.74). This is not detailed as no definition is given and may be interpreted differently based on taste. Many dress code items are not clearly defined, leaving them open to different judgments. In addition, article 32 about sexual harassment is briefly written and does not define what sexual harassment entails to the CBA. Therefore, these chapters of the agreement could use more specific details on what constitutes sexual harassment and good taste to ensure no room for other interpretation by the parties.
The document adds value to the workplace and creates more restrictions for the parties. The CBA provides employees with detailed terms and conditions of their employment. It gives the workers precise working hours and compensation rates with employment security as it is in use until 2015. Therefore, it adds value to the workplace and the working staff. The collective bargaining agreement is extended and covers many subjects creating restrictions. The dress code may be a restriction since the employee before the deal is likely that they had a dress code but not a written code giving them the freedom to daily dress code selection. The CBA allows the management to hold a dress inappropriately and take necessary action without clear reasoning creating restrictions.
Reference
Collective Bargaining Agreement (2012): Between Trustees of Columbia University in New York and Local 2110 International Union Office and Professional Workers. Web.