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United Negotiations
Weeks 13—Understanding reached: How to evaluate cost of proposals in United negotiations;
Does not suggest there will be a limit on how much disagreement there will be over what needs to be changed. United Negotiations: Print this update | Print version may require Adobe Reader
United negotiations–week 13
Rich Delaney, June 30, 2009
We approached this past week of United negotiations as a significant timeframe. Knowing we are taking the next 2 weeks away from direct talks in United negotiations, both sides saw the week as an opportunity to revisit and finalize some of the outstanding topics that have been talked about over the last 3 months.
What does each proposal cost in united negotiations?
United negotiations began the week began with a meeting between the company’s finance group and economists from the IAM’s Strategic Resources Dept. As we have noted before, this meeting was an important step in preparing for the future United negotiations that deal exclusively with money. The purpose of the meeting was to get a common understanding of what elements would be used to cost our proposals. This in no way is going to stop or limit the expected disagreements over the need or desire to make changes in our contract during United negotiations, but it should reduce the arguments over what the cost really is.
When we returned to the table at United negotiations, we were then able to re-focus on the issues that had already been introduced. This was a necessary review that allowed us to make sure that no proposal, significant or small, has been forgotten. It also gave both sides in United negotiations the chance to review their positions and make movement towards settlement. This is really the essence of negotiations and was most evident this week. Proposals concerning the establishing and use of seniority, job descriptions, vacation flexibility, and sick time usage all were discussed. While not every issue was completely resolved, both sides in United negotiations can clearly see what it will take to settle them. Some proposals, when fully discussed, are seen as being connected with other issues that have not been brought to the table yet and therefore could not be resolved this week.
United negotiations switching to preparation;
return to direct talks in two weeks
During the next 2 weeks our Negotiating Team will be researching and preparing presentations and responses to the newer proposals that were also introduced this week. When we return to United negotiations in mid-July we expect to speed up the introduction of new proposals concerning Articles of the contract that have not been talked about to this point and we want to be completely prepared to have serious discussions that will lead to agreement on the serious issues still out there.
outside of united negotiations–organizing aittran
In addition to the ongoing United negotiations, this past week was very important to District 141 for other reasons. In cooperation with our International , the newly reformed Organizing Dept. of District 141, headed up by Tim Nelson, has been aggressively working on several campaigns, including Continental Airlines, AirTran, and our continuing support for the Northwest Airlines IAM members fighting to keep their union in the face of the Delta merger. On Friday, June 28th, Tim and members of the Organizing team went to the National Mediation Board in Washington and formally petitioned for a representation election for the employees of AirTran. This group of about 2,300 people has been trying to organize for almost 2 years without making the needed show of support, until the last 2 months. Organizers from both the District and the Grand Lodge feel confident that the NMB will verify the overwhelming support AirTran employees have shown and call for an election promptly. There is still a great deal of work to be done in order to be successful, but this is a great step forward for those workers that have been looking for the benefits and security that union membership provides. It is also reaffirms how serious District 141 is about expanding our Union and reducing the number of unorganized airlines that put so much downward pressure on Union represented carriers.
outside united negotiations—uax work at ord, stl
Discussions have been continuing between District 141 and United, apart from United negotiations, regarding the announced expansion of UAX in both STL and MHT and the possible loss of UAX work in ORD. The timing of the decisions regarding these stations, which was expected last week , has been put off for another week. This allows us to continue to look for ways to convince United to keep this work in the hands of the existing and experienced United employees currently performing this work.
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