Labor & Employment Law

Panel Rules for 35,000 NY Bus and Subway Workers?and More Bargaining News

By Belinda Boyce

A panel of judges unanimously ruled that the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority must pay a 3 percent raise to some 35,000 bus and subway workers, 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.

LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS:

TWU, Metropolitan Transportation Authority: In New York City, a panel of judges unanimously ruled that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority must pay a 3 percent raise to some 35,000 bus and subway workers. The ruling reaffirms last year’s decision by an arbitrator in the ongoing discussion between MTA and Transport Workers (TWU) Local 100.

NEGOTIATIONS:

ALPA, Pinnacle Airline Corp.: The Air Line Pilots Association reached a tentative agreement on a new joint contract for pilots at Pinnacle Airlines, Mesaba Airlines and Colgan Air?all owned by Pinnacle Airline Corp. If ratified, the three separate pilot groups, with total membership of some 2,800 pilots, will be merged.

LIUNA, West Virginia University Hospital: Hospital workers at West Virginia University Hospital voted to reject a three-year contract proposal. The current contract covering the 870 members of Laborers Local 814 expires Dec. 31.

UAW, Caterpillar Inc.: Negotiations got underway between UAW and Caterpillar Inc. last week for a new contract covering 9,500 workers. The current contract expires March 1, 2011.

IAM, Alaska Airlines: Machinists (IAM) District 143 reached a tentative three-year contract with Alaska Airlines covering 2,600 clerical, office and passenger service workers. Workers rejected an earlier offer by the airline to extend the current agreement, citing concerns over the lack of job security language. This deal extends the job security language one year beyond the Jan. 14, 2012, amendable date.

SETTLEMENTS:

AFT, Cincinnati Public Schools: Public school teachers in Cincinnati, Ohio, ratified a new contract that will run through 2013. Some 2,300 members of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers (AFT) have been working under the terms of their previous contract, which expired last December.

UAW, Kohler Co.: Workers at Kohler Co. in Wisconsin ratified a new contract that includes a five-year wage freeze and a two-tier wage system but keeps jobs in Sheboygan County.

UAW, Mitsubishi: UAW members in Normal, Ill. ratified a new contract with Mitsubishi that will keep the facility open and preserve 1,300 jobs.

USW, Century Aluminum: USW Local 9423 has reached a tentative agreement with Century Aluminum in Hawesville, Ky. The 500 workers rejected two previous offers earlier this year.

WORK STOPPAGES:

USW, Titan Tire: The United Steelworkers (USW) union is blasting Titan Tire for locking out more than 1,000 workers at three plants in Iowa, Illinois and Ohio, while negotiations continue. The previous contract was extended to Dec. 17, but the company refused another extension while the union planned informational meetings and a ratification vote Dec. 20-23.

AFM, Detroit Symphony Orchestra: A resolution proposed by Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Sen. Carl Levin to end the ongoing dispute between the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and its musicians was dismissed by orchestra management as too expensive. The Detroit Federation of Musicians (AFM) said it considered the proposal fair and was disappointed with management’s response.

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 December 21, 2010 (boomark / email).