Labor & Employment Law

7,000 Amtrak Workers Reach Tentative Pact?and More Bargaining News

By Belinda Boyce

Some 7,000 Amtrak workers reach a tentative contract, and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,200 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

NEGOTIATIONS
Multiple, Amtrak: Amtrak has reached a five-year tentative agreement with four unions representing nearly 7,000 workers. The workers are members of the Electrical Workers (IBEW), the Machinists (IAM), the Joint Council of Carmen, Coach Cleaners and Helpers (a coalition of TCU/IAM and Transport Workers [TWU]) and the TCU/IAM.

AFSCME, Jackson Health System: AFSCME, representing some 5,000 workers at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital, has rejected the hospital’s request to reopen negotiations on workers giving up an additional $50 per paycheck. In fact, the union has said its members are re-voting on the original 5 percent pay cut because some members thought the first vote was unclear.

CWA, Verizon West: Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 9 has reached a tentative three-year agreement with Verizon West. The contract, if approved by the 5,500 California members, will provide annual wage increases and employer-paid medical coverage.

ALPA, Piedmont Airlines: Pilots at Piedmont Airlines have asked the National Mediation Board (NMB) to mediate talks with management, as negotiations have made little progress in the past year. The Air Line Pilots (ALPA) says Piedmont management is stonewalling, agreeing to very few negotiating sessions.

Multiple, State of Connecticut: The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) in Connecticut, made up of 13 state worker unions, says negotiations with Gov. M. Jodi Rell broke down Wednesday night, after government officials were unable to produce analysis of the effects of a proposed early retirement program. SEBAC claims the governor’s early retirement plan “could cost taxpayers $1 billion while decimating state services.”

ALPA, Evergreen International Airlines: After six years of tough negotiations, pilots at Evergreen International Airlines have reached a two-year tentative agreement. ALPA said it recognized the airline’s difficult financial situation, which it will have time to resolve if the contract is ratified by the 224 ALPA members.

Multiple, Continental and United Airlines: Continental Airlines and United Airlines announced plans to merge, though the future of the merger likely depends on the support of the airlines’ unions. The Continental division of ALPA says it expects a “swift conclusion to a joint contract with pilots from United Airlines,” also represented by ALPA. The Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), representing flight attendants at United, released a statement this morning that it would not support any merger that threatens job security.

SETTLEMENTS
IAM, Hamilton Sundstrand Corp.: Members of Machinists (IAM) Local 743 ratified a new three-year contract with Hamilton Sundstrand Corp. in Connecticut on Sunday. The contract covers about 1,050 workers and includes an annual 2.5 percent wage increase but also increases worker contributions to health care.

IAPE, Dow Jones: Workers at Dow Jones ratified a four-year contract with the company, the first contract since Dow Jones was purchased by Rupert Murdoch. The contract covers 1,700 members of the Independent Association of Publishers’ Employees (TNG-CWA) and avoids all blanket waivers the company had tried to include while protecting seniority and enhancing severance pay.

WORK STOPPAGES
ATU, RTA & Pace: Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 900 filed a lawsuit to compel interest arbitration in ongoing negotiations with Chicago’s Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and Pace. Two tentative agreements were reached, but one was rejected by the membership, and the other was rejected by the Pace board. The bus drivers and mechanics have been without a contract for more than a year.

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only.  As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on May 03, 2010 (boomark / email).