ABSTRACT
Collective bargaining is de™ned as “an agreement negotiated between a labor union and an employer that sets forth the terms of employment for the employees who are members of that labor union. This type of agreement may include provisions regarding wages, vacation time, working hours, working conditions, and health insurance bene™ts.”1 Safety professionals may or may not be directly involved in the collective bargaining negotiations process, depending on your company or organization. However, safety professionals should be aware that safety is often a major issue within the negotiation process and is considered a mandatory subject for bargaining. Whether the safety professional is at the negotiation table or working behind the scenes providing safety-related information to the spokesperson, he or she is often a key member of the negotiations team.
