SEIU 1199

SEIU FAQs

Welcome to SEIU at Bվ!  Whether you are new to our bargaining unit or looking to deepen your involvement, these answers will help you understand your rights, benefits, and how we work together to build a stronger workplace. Our union thrives when every member participates; explore below and discover how you can make a difference.

FAQ Quick Links

How do I know if I am in SEIU?

If you are a professional staff employee in a non‑faculty role, there is a very good chance you are already in the bargaining unit and covered by the Bվ–SEIU contract.  When you were hired at Bվ, your offer letter and onboarding materials should have indicated that your position is part of the SEIU 1199 bargaining unit, and one or two of us always drop in during orientation to meet and welcome new employees, answer questions, explain your status as part of our bargaining unit and encourage you to sign a member card.

If you’re a longstanding Bվ employee and have recently been promoted into an SEIU position…first, congratulations! We’d love to catch up with you, even though you aren’t required to attend orientation.

Still unsure? Contact one of your Executive Board members and they will confirm your status.

What does it mean to be in the bargaining unit?

Short answer: being in the bargaining unit means you have a contract and a community behind you

Being in the bargaining unit is good news: it means you’re covered by a legally binding contract that protects your pay, benefits, and working conditions, and you have the opportunity to become a full union member and help shape those protections over time. Just as important, you are connected to a community of coworkers who bring experience, information, and support when you have questions or concerns at work; you are not alone in figuring things out.

If you are still unsure about your status, simply contact one of your Executive Board members; they will gladly check and let you know.

Why pay dues if the union represents everyone?

Myth: “I get the same protections for free, so paying dues is a waste of money.”
Fact: Strong contracts and real enforcement only happen when most of us choose to be full, dues‑paying members.  Dues help us turn legal rights on paper into real raises, fair treatment, and backup when you need it most.

 As you may have heard, since a 2018 Supreme Court decision, public sector employees cannot be required to pay union “fair share” or agency fees; only employees who choose to join the union pay dues. Even if you do not join, the union is still legally required to represent you in bargaining and contract enforcement, so some people may tell you that you can “get the same protections for free.”

In reality, our ability to win raises, protect benefits, and enforce the contract depends on how many of us stand together as full members. Dues‑paying members provide the resources and volunteer power that make grievances possible, support negotiations, and keep information flowing when issues arise. Choosing membership means investing a very small portion of your paycheck into a stronger, more effective support network for yourself and your coworkers, rather than leaving others to carry that load alone.

If you have questions about dues, how they are used, or your options, talk with an Executive Board member or delegate; they can walk you through the details and help you make an informed decision.

Why should I become a full member? What is in it for me?

Short answer: full members do not just receive the contract, they help decide what is in it and how strongly it is enforced.

The Bվ/SEIU contract protects every staff member; however, only full members have a say in how it is negotiated and enforced. Becoming a full member means standing together with your coworkers to shape the decisions that affect your pay, benefits, and working conditions. And the more members we have, the stronger our collective voice becomes at the bargaining table and on campus.

Membership allows you to set priorities, vote in elections, and join committees that strengthen our workplace community. You are already covered by the contract; make your voice count and help keep our union strong. Sign your membership card today.

Aren’t union dues used for the union’s political agenda, paying distant political operatives?

No. By law, your union dues cannot be used for political purposes.  Electoral or campaign work is funded only through separate, voluntary contributions to COPE, the Committee on Political Education.

Your dues are used entirely to support representation, negotiations, and workplace support here at Bվ. Just as important, your Executive Board members, committee members, and delegates are your Bվ colleagues, not outside staff; they are volunteers who donate many hours of their own time to this important work on behalf of all of us.

We’re professional staff at a university, not steelworkers. Do we really need a union in an office environment?

Myth: “Unions are only for troublemakers or people who do their jobs poorly.”
Fact: professional staff unions help everyone by working to improve pay, benefits, stability, and fairness across the workplace.

The union is about much more than protecting members from discipline. Only one of the 48 articles of our contract deals with discipline; the vast majority cover wages, benefits, and everyday working conditions that affect all of us. Our contract addresses and helps ensure stability, fairness, and clear expectations about:

  • Salary increases
  • Vacation, sick leave, FMLA
  • Paid holidays and wellness days
  • Hours of work
  • Remote work
  • Emergency closing procedures
  • Fair limits on insurance premium increases
  • Manageable workloads
  • Tuition benefits for employees and their families
  • Seniority and layoff procedures
  • Opportunities for promotion through reclassification
  • Representation on search committees
  • Reorganizations
  • Opportunities for professional development
  • Campus health and safety
  • Fair evaluation standards

What should I do if something at work does not seem right?

Short answer: if something feels off, talk to a union representative right away; you do not have to figure it out alone.

It’s a big campus, and some of us are quite isolated.  The only way union leadership can help is if we know what is going on. If something in your work area doesn’t seem fair, feels out of the ordinary, or just raises questions, please reach out to a union Executive Board member or delegate. You do not have to be certain there is a contract violation; talking it through with someone familiar with the contract and policies is often the first step.

Your union representatives will listen, ask questions, and help you decide what to do next, whether that means gathering more information, raising concerns informally, or pursuing a formal process. Remember, the Executive Board members, committee members, and delegates you speak with are your Bվ colleagues… volunteers, donating their time to support coworkers and uphold our contract.

Doesn't a Union only benefit troublemakers and people who do their job poorly? Do we really need a Union in an office environment?

The Union is about so much more than protecting members from discipline. In fact, only one article deals with discipline. The majority of our contract has to do with benefits/working conditions. Even in an office environment, we need our benefits protected. We have Articles in our current contract that:

  • Ensure salary increases
  • Guarantee vacation leave
  • Guarantee paid sick time
  • Designate paid holidays
  • Define hours of work
  • Set limits on health insurance premium increases
  • Limit workloads
  • Provide tuition benefits to employees, spouses and defendants
  • Ensure professional development
  • Create a sick leave bank
  • Address campus health and safety
  • Ensure job safety through seniority, bumping and layoff procedures
  • Provide promotion through reclassifications
  • Set guidelines for evaluations
  • Provide protection during reorganizations
  • Outline emergency closing procedures

Can my dues be used towards the political agenda of the Union?

A little known fact is that Union dues cannot by law be used towards the political dealings of the Union. The only money that can be used towards politics is the voluntary money that you may have withheld for COPE (Committee on Political Education). Even when an organizer is out campaigning, they must record that time separate from time they spend at their chapters. The money from which they are paid for that time spent campaigning cannot come from monies collected from dues. It comes from COPE money. So no, your dues cannot be used for the political agenda of the Union.

Who do I call if I think something going on in my work area isn't right?

The only way the union leadership can benefit you is if we know when you are having an issue! It is the responsibility of our membership to let a union executive board member or delegate know when something is going on in your area that does not seem right. Even if you are unsure, contact someone when something seems to be out of the ordinary. The union representatives job is to investigate the situation and determine if union action needs to be taken.

How do I know if I should file a grievance?

If you think that management has violated your rights or the contract, or if you have questions regarding your workplace, talk with your delegate. You have the right to file a formal complaint when one of your supervisors has violated your contractual rights. This formal complaint is called a "grievance," and the system used to process this compliant is referred to in the contract as the "grievance procedure." Make a point of reading the current contract to find out exactly what your rights and responsibilities are as a professional staff employee.#what-are-my-rights

If you and your delegate determine that a contract violation has occurred, together you will fill out a "grievance form." Please remember that grievance procedures have strict time limits and must be filed promptly. Not all workplace complaints are grievances. We cannot grieve for bad management but we can grieve contract violations. Winning a grievance depends on the facts and evidence the Union collects. Working closely with your delegate will greatly improve your chances of success.

What if my supervisor wants to meet about discipline? What are “Weingarten rights”?

Short answer: if a meeting could lead to discipline, you have the right to ask for a union representative to be present. Although they are not lawyers, they are there to support you.

If your supervisor asks to meet with you about your conduct, performance, or an incident at work, and you believe the conversation could lead to discipline, you have the right to request union representation before you answer questions. These protections are called your Weingarten rights. You can simply say, “I believe this meeting could lead to discipline, and I request union representation.”

Once you make that request, your supervisor must either allow a union representative to join the meeting, end the meeting, or give you the choice to continue without representation. You are not required to answer questions until a representative is present if you have clearly asked for one. If you are unsure whether a meeting could be disciplinary, you can always ask your supervisor or request that a delegate be included.

Your representative will usually be a trained union delegate or officer, a Bվ colleague who can help you understand what is happening, take notes, ask clarifying questions, and ensure that management follows the contract and basic standards of fairness. Delegates and union officers are not attorneys and do not provide legal representation; however, they are experienced coworkers who know the contract and are there to support you so that you do not have to navigate a difficult meeting alone.

Who decides the terms of our contract?

Short answer: union members do; we elect our own bargaining team and vote on the agreements that shape our work lives.

Every three years, our contract is renegotiated. Long before bargaining begins, union leaders and delegates work to understand member concerns and priorities through informal conversations, regular meetings, and formal surveys, so that our agenda reflects what professional staff are actually experiencing on campus. Union members then elect a bargaining team made up of our Bվ colleagues, including Executive Board members and professional staff from across departments, to represent the bargaining unit at the table. This team meets with the university’s negotiating team to propose improvements, respond to management’s proposals, and work toward a fair agreement.

When the bargaining teams reach a tentative agreement, union members review it and vote to accept or reject it. This means the terms of our contract are not handed down from above; they are shaped by the priorities we set together, the work of our elected bargaining team, and the votes of members who choose to participate. The more of us who are engaged, the more the contract reflects what we value most in our work and our campus.

How do I get involved in the Union?

Short answer: there is a place for every skill set and every comfort level; your participation, in any form, makes our union stronger and our campus better.

The shared responsibility of building a better workplace is a big job, and no small group can do it alone. We need members who are willing to take on many different roles: reviewing job postings, serving on committees, updating the website, welcoming new employees, helping with newsletters, answering member questions, or simply sharing information with coworkers. If you are interested in deeper involvement, you can also consider becoming a delegate, serving on a campus committee, or running for the Executive Board.

Showing up for actions, wearing buttons or union colors, and speaking proudly about our work are also powerful ways to demonstrate our value to the university and our commitment to its mission through the exemplary work we do every day.

Not everyone wants to sit in formal meetings or hearings, and that is okay; there are meaningful ways to contribute that fit many personalities, schedules, and comfort levels. Your Executive Board members, committee members, and delegates are all Bվ professional staff who volunteer their time because they believe in fairness, respect, and a stronger campus community. YOU are the union, and when you bring your voice, your experience, and your ideas, you help build a workplace where all of us, and our students, can do our best work. If you are inspired by this work and want to help shape what comes next for our chapter, reach out to any Executive Board member or delegate to explore how you can get involved.

Together, we look out for one another and help make Bվ a place where the entire campus community of faculty, staff, and students can truly thrive. When we stand together as full members, our collective voice protects what we value, demonstrates the central role our work plays in Bվ’s mission, and strengthens our shared commitment to collaborating with our community, serving students, and building a workplace and a university where everyone can succeed.