As a member you can vote any way you want of course, but normally you want to follow the recommendation of your bargaining committee. Are they recommending ratification or rejection? Most outside power agreements contain CIR (Council on Industrial Relations) language that is a format for settling disputes. If your locals vote the proposal down then the case will go to the CIR for settlement. If no CIR language is involved a rejection of a contract proposal usually acts as a strike vote. Bottom line is stay involved and informed. Unfortunately in todays world less than half of your membership will care to even cast a vote, which makes it difficult to sustain a work action such as a strike. It's a bitch not knowing how over half of your membership is going to behave.