Writing Proposals & Costing

Your proposals are the foundation of everything that happens at the table. Writing them well — and knowing what they cost — is the difference between winning and losing.

Writing Proposals:

Format:

• Article/Section number you want to change

• Current language (strike through what you're removing)

• Proposed new language (bold what you're adding)

• Brief explanation of WHY (for your team, not for management)

Example — Overtime Proposal:

Article V, Section 502 — Current: 'Overtime shall be distributed as equitably as practicable.'

Proposed: 'Overtime shall be distributed BY SENIORITY within the classification and department. The Company shall maintain a posted overtime roster updated weekly. Any employee bypassed for overtime shall be made whole at the applicable overtime rate.'

Rationale: Current language is vague and allows favoritism. 47 overtime grievances filed in last 2 years.

Types of Proposals:

1. ECONOMIC — Cost money: wages, insurance, pension, PTO, shift differentials, boot allowance

2. LANGUAGE — Don't cost money directly but change working conditions: scheduling, overtime distribution, job bidding, seniority, discipline procedures, safety

3. HOUSEKEEPING — Technical corrections, typos, outdated references, renumbering

Costing Out Proposals:

You MUST know what your proposals cost — and what management's proposals save them.

Wage Increase Example:

• 200 bargaining unit employees x $24/hr x 2,080 hours/year = $9,984,000 annual payroll

• 4% raise = $399,360 additional annual cost

• Per employee: $24 x 0.04 = $0.96/hr increase

Health Insurance Example:

• Current: Company pays 80%, employee pays 20%

• Management proposal: Company pays 70%, employee pays 30%

• Monthly premium: $800/employee

• Current employee cost: $160/month ($1,920/year)

• Proposed employee cost: $240/month ($2,880/year)

• TAKEAWAY: $960/year per employee — that's a PAY CUT disguised as insurance

Always calculate management proposals in terms of TAKE-HOME PAY impact. A 3% raise means nothing if insurance costs go up 5%.

Proposal Strategy:

• Don't show all your cards at once — present proposals in phases

• Lead with LANGUAGE proposals first (lower cost, easier to agree on)

• Save ECONOMIC proposals for later rounds when pressure builds

• Always have MORE proposals than you need — you need things to trade

• Package proposals: 'We'll withdraw our proposal on X if you accept our proposal on Y'