WHAT'S IN A CONTRACT

Dear fellow Pitt Staff,

My name is Ohad Cadji and I work in Library Collections at Pitt’s Thomas Blvd facility.

I also work part-time at the Warhol Museum, where I am a proud member of USW Local 9562. A few years ago, the workers at the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh successfully organized with United Steelworkers. My museum co-workers and I now enjoy all the benefits that come with a union contract.

I'm now an active member of the Staff Union of Pitt Organizing Committee, because I know firsthand the difference a union can make for workers.

I cannot say this strongly enough: the hardworking, dedicated staff at Pitt need and deserve a union contract.

Let’s break down what it means to have a “union contract”:

Once we win our union election, Pitt’s administration will be legally required to bargain with us over our terms and conditions of work.
Collective bargaining is the process for reaching a contract between a unionized workforce and an employer – in our case, with the University of Pittsburgh’s administration.
The contract typically covers pay, sick and family leave, benefits, transparency issues, job security, and protects against unfair treatment or termination.
We, the Pitt staff, decide what we want to propose for our contract. We’ll have the experience and expertise of USW negotiators working with us. And, we get a final vote on whether to accept the contract or not.

Through the collective bargaining process with Pitt’s administration, we’ll use the benefits and working conditions that we already have and like as our baseline and make improvements from there.

I know that was a lot of info! If you want to learn more or have questions, join the Staff Union of Pitt Organizing Committee for a virtual “What’s in a Contract” Lunch & Learn Q&A on February 28 at 12 p.m.

Click here to register.

In Solidarity,
Ohad Cadji

Here’s an example of a USW union contract in Allegheny county that contains $20,000 raises: USW Ratifies Contract with Allegheny County | United Steelworkers
Here’s an example of 15-35% raises, health protections, and anti-discrimination tools in a USW contract: Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh workers approve first union contract | 90.5 WESA

USW Local 1998- staff at the University of Toronto- they won a 13% wage increase, ChildcareBenefit expanded, health benefits improved, more details here: 2023_SA_Ratification_Highlights.indd (usw1998.ca)
USW Local 1998- staff at the University of St Michaels won historic job evaluation tools and gender pay equity: FULL_PE_JE_rat_package_Dec_14_22.pdf (usw1998.ca)