Getting Started

Sample Intent to Bargain letter

Sample AFSCME Bargaining Survey

Training Your Bargaining Team Toolkit (downloads the full toolkit as a single .zip file with all of the documents below)

• Agenda for Facilitators
• Participant Agenda
• Simulation Roles
• Collective Bargaining Simulation Long
• "We Agree To/We Agree Not To"

Contract Campaign Training provides staff representatives with techniques and tools including managing your bargaining team, justifying wage and benefit demands, bargaining table tactics, mobilizing members and more.

• Handouts
• Exercises
• Helpful resources

• Ability to Pay Information Request
• Health Plan Financial Information Request
• Information Request for Contract Costing: Basic and Comprehensive

• AFSCME Contracts Database (Register or log in for access)
  Contains more than 10,000 full-text searchable collective bargaining agreements.  This site is provided exclusively for use by the leadership, staff and negotiators of AFSCME.
• Union Building Bargaining Language (Register or log in for access)
  Model and sample contract language on 10 issues that will help the union maintain membership and power, including new employee orientation, procedures after the loss of dues checkoff, union leave and more.  This site is provided exclusively for use by the leadership, staff and negotiators of AFSCME.
• Developing and Justifying Contract Proposals: A Guide for AFSCME Negotiations
• Checklist of Contract Clauses
• Sample language on select topics
• More contract language resources

Need more help? Ask a researcher!

Bargaining, Employment Law and Labor Relations Guides from Cornell Industrial & Labor Relations

For assistance with the AFSCME contracts database or any of the other resources described here, AFSCME’s Research and Collective Bargaining Services Department can help. Staff reps can make a request by phone at 202-429-1215, email at research@afscme.org or using the Ask a Researcher form.