Labor & Employment Law

Crew at ?Biggest Loser? Back at Work?and More Bargaining News

By Belinda Boyce

Some 50 workers reached a contract agreement and are back on the job at the reality show, ?The Biggest Loser,? 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 1,300 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

SETTLEMENTS
IATSE, Reveille Productions: Striking crew members of reality show ?The Biggest Loser? are back at work after they approved an agreement reached between show producers and the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Some 50 workers went on strike Nov. 8, after producers failed to recognize their decision to have IATSE represent them.

ALPA, AirTran Airways: Members of the Air Line Pilots (ALPA) ratified a five-year deal with AirTran Airways that covers 1,700 pilots.

MNA-NNU, UMass Medical Center: Registered nurses at UMass Medical Center ratified a new two-year contract that covers more than 1,000 members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association-NNU (MNA-NNU). The pact came after more than a year of bargaining and after the hospital removed all of its demands for concessions.

NEGOTIATIONS
IAM, Continental Airlines: The Machinists (IAM) filed a mediation request with the National Mediation Board after nearly a year of negotiations failed to produce an agreement for the 9,500 flight attendants at Continental Airlines. IAM members rejected a contract offer late last month.

APWU, U.S. Postal Service: The Postal Workers (APWU) agreed to extend its contract with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) through noon today, seeking to reach a new agreement for APWU’s 220,000 members.

 UAW, Kohler Co.: In Wisconsin, UAW Local 833 will resume negotiations Nov. 29 with Kohler Co. The contract covering the 2,000 members of Local 833 expired Sept. 30.

UFCW, Multiple Supermarkets: Unions representing more than 20,000 Puget Sound-area grocery workers have reached a tentative agreement with supermarket chains Safeway, Albertsons, QFC and Fred Meyer. Members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) locals 21 and 81 had rejected a previous offer and authorized a strike earlier this month.

WORK STOPPAGES
AFT, Bethel Park School Board: Negotiations are continuing today between the Bethel Park Federation of Teachers/AFT and the school board, after the board rejected an offer by BPFT to extend the current contract for up to three years. Teachers have been on strike since Oct. 25, but according to state law, must return by Dec. 6 to ensure 180 days of classroom instruction before June 15.

MSNA-NNU/NNOC, Eastern Maine Medical Center: After being locked out over the weekend, nurses at the Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC) participated in a one-day strike yesterday. The members of the Maine State Nurses Association-NNU (MSNA-NNU/NNOC) are fighting for safe staffing levels to be included in their next contract. Bargaining is scheduled to resume Nov. 29.

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 November 23, 2010 (boomark / email).