The Negotiation Process

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The information outlined below explains the role each AHEM group plays in the negotiations process, the individuals that make up the group, and their decision-making powers.

Negotiation Team
* Members: Negotiators, AHEM President, Field Staff
* The negotiators are at the bargaining table
* Many discussions are confidential
* The negotiations team has access to all information

Negotiation Steering Committee
* Members: 4 AHEM Officers, Negotiators, 3 elected from the Executive Board and 3 from the Representative Assembly, Field Staff
* Represents the Governance structure of AHEM
* Receives confidential information from the team
* Assists the team in identifying issues, goals, and strategies
* Serves in an advisory capacity to the team
* Not a decision-making body

Council for Negotiations
* Members: One representative from each site
* Provides two-way communication link between sites and the team
* Information provided to the Council is not confidential
* Not a decision-making body

Executive Board
* Receives regular reports from the team
* Usually not a confidential group, but can be on occasion
* Determines whether a tentative agreement will go to the membership for a vote
* Can recommend that the membership vote yes, vote no, or may send agreement to the membership for a vote with no recommendation
* Serves as a decision-making body

Representative Assembly
* Receives regular reports from the team
* Not a confidential group
* Approves members of the negotiations team
* Approves negotiations goals
* Ratifies the member vote on the contract
* Serves as a decision-making body

Membership
* Votes on the tentative agreement