OFS Bargaining Report #3

Day 3 of negotiations commenced at 10:05 a.m.

The Company made proposals to eliminate the floating holiday and replace it with either Martin Luther King Day or President’s Day. The Company also added language that would require the Employee to work the scheduled day before and the scheduled day after the Holiday to receive their Holiday Pay.  Further, the Company passed language attempting to negate Arbitrator Nolan’s ruling. The ruling maintains that the employee is entitled to receive double time after working their scheduled shift on a Holiday.

The Company then put forth a proposal regarding employees in the Sturbridge operation requiring employees to take a paid day off on any of the four Holidays currently mandated by Massachusetts State law.  Chris Lapierre then put forth the question as to what would happen if the Employee did not have EWD and vacation. The Company replied that said the employee would take the day without pay.  The Union rejected the proposal from the company regarding the four Holidays recognized in Massachusetts.

Bill Bates expressed that once again the Company is attempting to take a good Article and reduce it as a benefit to our Members. He again restated that the Union has no interest in concessionary bargaining.  Bill then discussed the issue of working the day before and after the Holiday before the Member could get their Holiday pay. A request was made for the Company to supply data that would back up their position that there was employee abuse.  The Company said that they will get the data to us.

A long discussion over EWD and how they have been used and the importance of these days in our Membersl personal life.

In the afternoon session the Union passed a proposal adding "Sister" and "Brother" to Article 15 Pay Treatment for Absences, 2. Death in Family.

The Union passed a counter to the Company’s proposed improvements to Article 14 – Excused Work Days.

Proposals were also passed to improve the current language in Article 13 – Holidays.

The subcommittee met and had a long discussion regarding break/wash-up time.

The day ended with a presentation made by Express Scripts.