OFS Bargaining Report #10

OFS Bargaining Report – Day 9

Bargaining for Day 9 opened at 2:40PM.

The Union passed proposal for Article 12 – Vacations.  The Union's proposal included the reduction of time for qualifying for additional vacation time, removing the language that allows the Company to force employees to use vacation time during shutdowns, and changing the time limit for use of carryover vacation time to allow members to use such time through December 31.  With little discussion the Company took the Union's proposal under advisement.

The Union passed a proposal for Article 13 – Holidays.  The Union included in this proposal language that will not allow the Company to re-designate any Holiday into the next calendar year and language that states any Member who gets pay for the day before or the day after the Holiday will receive Holiday Pay.  Again, with very little discussion, the Company took the Union's proposal under advisement.

The Company passed their counter to Union proposal Article 16 – Force Adjustment Protection.  Because of the Company's attempted assault against our Members under this Article, it can no longer be referred to as "Protection" but rather "Elimination of Protection" since the Company's suggestion for the reduction of Wage Protection Allowance (WPA) is nothing other than an insult to the Union and its Members.  Major discussions resulted from the Company's outrageous attack against the Membership in their proposal.  The Union cannot accept these hostile attacks against our Members after the Membership gave up so much in protections and finances for three years in an effort to help the Company through their financial crisis.  Now is not the time for the Company to try to take advantage of our Members' willingness to assist the Company during their crisis, but rather to recognize our Members' efforts with reasonable proposals and counters that doesn't reduce them further to a working-poor class.

The Union took the Company's outrageous counter under advisement.

The Company then passed their counter to Union proposal Article 15 – Pay Treatment for Absences.  The Company doesn't want to recognize a Member's Grandparent In-laws as close family members and refused to recognize them under paid time off in the unfortunate event of their passing.  Apparently the Company believes our Members are able to comfortably mourn the passing of their Grandparent In-laws at work.  The Company's counter also included language to prorate paid sick days for returning and new hire employees.  The Company also rejected the Union's inclusion for consideration for Members when potentially hazardous travel conditions due to inclement weather prevent Members from being able to safely make it to the workplace.  The Company demands that they have the solely authority to determine who will suffer the Company's wrath and who won't during times of hazardous travel.

The Union took the Company's counter under advisement.

The Company passed their counter to Union proposal Article 10 – Hours of Work.  Again the Company wants sole control on the changing and adjusting of work schedules without partnering with the Union in an effort to make any changes truly address the Company's needs while not abusing the placement of our Members – though we should mention the Company does agree to "discuss" with the Union the changes to work schedules one week before the changes are made – if they are able to do so.

The Union took the Company's counter under advisement.

At this time it is becoming more and more apparent that the Company doesn't want to recognize our Members' diligent efforts to help the Company through their darkest moments, but rather wants to take advantage of our Members' sincere concern for the Company's operations by a constant and undaunted assault against the only employees, our Members, who have brought the Company back from the brink of destruction.  It is the opinion of the Bargaining Team that the Company is running out of time to make a sincere effort to recognize our Members' goodwill on behalf of the Company.  They must make an immediate endeavor to become realistic in their counters and proposals – but only time will tell.

The Company advised the Union they would be available to meet with the Union over the weekend should the Union request such meetings.

The meeting adjourned at 4:00PM.

The next bargaining meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 19, 2006 with a start time of 11:00AM.