Why You Should Ask For More

The TAG-Local 839 Master Agreement. No upper limits.

All our contracts are written so that there is no upper limit on the benefits or wages you may negotiate. The key phrase is "better conditions..." - and you can find it on page 6...

C. "Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent any individual from negotiating and obtaining from the Producer better conditions and terms of employment than those herein provided. Further, the Union and the Producer agree that the Producer shall have the right to adjust compensation, conditions and benefits at the sole discretion of the Producer, but in no event less than the applicable minimum compensation, conditions and benefits provided herein for such employee's classification."

Page 6, Article 4, Section C of the Local 839 Master Agreement.

This key provision means you can ( and should ) ask for more.

You may hear things like:

• "Well, that's what the rate is. We can't offer more. It says so in your contract."
• "I don't think we can give you that, because you're under a CBA/ in the union."
• "More vacation? You need to talk to your union - they said you only get two weeks."
•  and many variations on the same.

What you need to know ( and tell your friends ) is that the union is not stopping anyone from obtaining ( or being offered ) better conditions than the minimums our contract requires.

Translating the above, what's really being said:

• "We don't want to pay you any more, so we're offering the minimum your contract requires to you."
• "We don't want to give you any more than the minimum we are required to by your CBA."
• "We don't want to give more vacation, even though we could choose to. We'll blame our choice on the union, so we don't look bad."

Are your skills and talents worth more than the minimum? Then ask for more.