Arbitration
Where it is available, a method of settling a labor-management dispute by having an impartial third party hold a formal hearing, take testimony and render a decision. The decision is usually binding upon the parties.

Award
The decision of an arbitrator in a dispute. The arbitrator's award is based upon the evidence presented, the agreement and the arguments of both parties. In labor arbitration, the arbitrator's reasons are generally expressed in the form of a written opinion, which accompanies the award.

Collective Bargaining
A method of mutually determining wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment through negotiations between representatives of the employer and the union.

Collective Bargaining Agreement
A written agreement or contract that is the result of negotiations between an employer and a union. It sets out the conditions of employment (wages, hours, benefits, etc.) and ways to settle disputes arising during the term of the contract.

Confidential clauses
The confidential information exemption can no longer be claimed in relation to any contract unless the contract contains a confidentiality clause.

Economic Compensation
Economic compensation provides workers, whose jobs have been terminated through no fault of their own. Economic compensation is intended to provide an unemployed worker time to find a new job equivalent to the one lost without financial distress.

Impasse
A deadlock in negotiations. After bargaining in good faith, the parties have failed the reach an agreement on one or more issues.

Labor Organizer
A person usually employed by a union (usually the regional or international union), whose function it is to enlist the employees of a particular employer to join the union.

Labor Contract
The resulting agreement reached by the parties during the negotiations/bargaining process. Also known as a collective bargaining agreement or contract.

Non-compete agreement
A non-compete agreement is typically signed by a new employee as a condition of employment. If the employee later leaves the company, a well-written non-competition agreement prevents former employees from competing with the company, recruiting other employees, or misusing confidential information such as customer databases. Such an agreement should always be used when hiring a key employee, as defined by the parameters of the business. A non-compete agreement is particularly useful for employees who have access to critical information, either through job responsibility or through social interactions with owners or high-level executives. Every business should consider having its key employees or sales people sign this contract as part of their employment agreement. If the employee later leaves the company, this agreement will prevent them from competing with the company.

Public Employee
A person who is employed by a municipal, county, state, or federal agency or state college or university.

Supervisor
An individual (regardless of his/her job description or title) having authority, in the interest of the employer, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward or discipline other employees of the employer. A supervisory employee is also one who has responsibility for directing employees, answering their grievances, or recommending disciplinary action, if authority is not merely clerical but requires independent judgment.


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