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In the Loop with AFSCME LaborLinks (2000)

If you are looking for information to support your proposals at the bargaining table, you can find a lot of resources on the AFSCME Web. The AFSCME Web contains a wealth of materials and links to help you get the best deal for your members. What kinds of resources can you find on the AFSCME Web?

Salary Data:

Need to know how your salaries stack up against those in comparable positions and jurisdictions? Go to the Classification and Compensation section of AFSCME LaborLinks. You will find links to Bureau of Labor Statistics compensation data as well as indexes of private salary surveys on the Internet. A special resource for AFSCME members is our growing collection of links to salary scales and job descriptions on government and other public-sector institutional Web sites. These are grouped by state so you can research what employees in a particular classification are making in different jurisdictions.

Employee Benefits:

Who is getting which benefits? What does ERISA require? Which employers offer domestic partner benefits? How do I argue against management’s managed care proposals? The answers to these and other questions can be found in the Employee Benefits section.

From this section you can go to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employee Benefits Survey or visit Benefits Link where you will find a library of Internet resources on every employee benefits topic imaginable. Of course, you will also find links to AFSCME’s own publications on topics ranging from managed care to the pros and cons of defined benefit vs. defined contribution pension plans.

Safety and Health:

You need background information to explain to your employer why you are proposing a new ergonomics program for your workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health section of LaborLinks is the path to the data you need to formulate effective proposals. You can find it on Web sites such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or ErgoWeb. You can also find AFSCME’s own definitive guide, Safe Jobs Now which includes sample contract language to address a variety of health and safety concerns.

General Economic Data:

What’s the consumer price index? You can find that on the Bureau of Labor Statistics  Web site, but the site can be difficult to navigate for newcomers. In the Bargaining Table section, we have extracted the most frequently requested statistics from BLS and from the U.S. Bureau of the Census to make it easier for you to locate the data you want. And if you misplaced a back issue of AFSCME’s Collective Bargaining Reporter, you can retrieve the article you want.

Other Contract Language:

Sample contract language on many different bargaining issues lurks in the various publications on the AFSCME Web. In the AFSCME Guide to Winning Work/Family Programs you can find language on family and sick leave, as well as on alternative work schedules. Sample language on contracting out can be found in Fighting Privatization: Strategies. Fighting for the Rights of Employees With Disabilities contains sample non-discrimination and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance clauses.

Finally, you can also pave the way for future organizing drives at the negotiating table. Bargaining to Organize: Reshaping the Battlefield to Build Union Strength shows you how to enhance your union’s chances of signing up new members.

The AFSCME Web can help you get a head start on information gathering. Our LaborLinks will keep you in the loop.

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