After winning the union vote, you and your coworkers win the right to negotiate a union contract called a collective agreement.  This is a legally binding document that lays out the wages, benefits, working conditions, job security and other rights of workers.  It provides you with stronger protection than employment standards.

In many ways your collective agreement is like a rule book – it gives your union reps the legal ability they need to get management to do the right thing.

The collective agreement must be agreed to by both the employer and union members.  Before a collective agreement can be in force, it must be accepted by the members through a secret vote.