Hello Brothers and Sisters.  This is the latest update on our negotiations.  Before leaving for Washington, we settled the term of the Agreement to be for a period of two years.  The items that went before the Council of Industrial Relations in Washington, D.C. were the wages, using Saturday as a make up day, and working all scheduled hours (i.e. 40 hours) before overtime is paid. 

 

We have the preliminary decision from CIR as follows:

 

$1.15 on the wage as of June 21, 2008, with an additional $.10 going into the Pension Fund, for a total of $1.25.

 

An additional $.75 is mandated to be added after the parties negotiate an Absenteeism Policy.  This policy must be negotiated within 60 days.

 

There will be a wage opener in the second year, and the industrial scale, Saturday make up day, and 40 hours first proposals were rejected by CIR.

 

There will be a negotiating subcommittee meeting on Thursday, June 5, 2008 at the Local 640 Meeting Hall for all "A" Members to address ideas for this Absenteeism Policy. 

 

Dean Wine

Business Manager/Financial Secretary