Your union contract isn’t expected to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. But it does matter if it’s well written.
The goal is a contract that members can read. Member participation in enforcement starts with a contract which is reader-friendly. Don’t blindly include language without a critical review just because it was used for the previous contract.
So, if your local is holding a proposal meeting and you are on the bargaining committee, what is the first step in making your contract readable and easier for members to enforce?
Here are some general rules for drafting good contract language. I learned many of these principles at a Canadian Bar Association training: