Industrial relation research on union organizing (Despande and Viswesvaran 1987; Henenman and Sandver 1989; Grabelsky 1995; Hurd and Uehlein; Lucas 1997), leadership development (Burns et al 1987; Elkiss 1994; Goldberg 1995; Heshizer and Lund 1997) and strategic campaigns (Perry 1987; Northrup 1994; Bruno 1997a, b; Gramm, Maranto and Schnell 1997; Bronfrenbrenner and Juravich forthcoming) has conventionally prioritized the subjects as separate domains of interest. But in the case of a recently formed bargaining unit, first contract fights often become a test of the young union’s organizing strength, and provide the impetus under which union leaders emerge. While it is commonly understood that certification elections are fraught with dangerous pitfalls (Cooke 1983; Bronfrenbrenner 1993), and that union win rates are typically no better than management’s (Labor Relations Week 1997), the unlikelihood of an initial contract ever emerging from the collective bargaining process once an election has been won is less appreciated. A recent study from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service reported the disturbing fact that barely 25 percent of private sector unions certified in 1996 were able to negotiate a first labor agreement within a 12 month period (UNION Labor Report 1997).