OFS Bargaining Report #5

OFS Bargaining Report – Day 5

Bargaining for Day 5 opened at 10:30AM.

Bill Bates advised the Company that the Union Bargaining Team gave careful and serious consideration to the Company's latest Retiree Health Care Proposal and will have to reject the proposal as written.

Bill advised the Company that the Union appreciates their movement on the proposal, but the cost of premiums is still too excessive for our Retirees to absorb.  He said that the Union cannot negotiate any language that would force Retirees on fixed incomes to have to make a choice between feeding themselves or medical care, and that is still what the Company's latest proposal does.  Bill further stated that the Union understands the Company's need to secure the financial future of the business, and assured the Company that it is not the intent of the Union to negotiate a contract that breaks the Company.  But he warned the Company that the Union cannot agree to terms to save the Company under the conditions in the Company's proposal.

Clem Johnson advised Bill that the Company feels they have made a significant attempt between the first proposal and the second proposal to address the cost factor of Retiree Health Care by allowing for a cost sharing between the Company and Retirees on the premiums.  Bill told Clem that he again appreciates the Company's attempt to move in the right direction, but in fact within a three-year period the burden of premiums will be almost completely on the backs of our Retirees.  Clem then asked Bill for the Union's help in coming up with proposals and ideas to address the health care issue for the contract, and Bill told Clem that, until the premiums get down to a more reasonable and affordable point, there's no sense in discussing anything else on their proposal.  Clem told the Union he would not let Retiree Health break the Company and Bill told Clem he understood that but he could not agree to saving the Company on the backs of Retirees either.  And to make an example, Bill then asked two of the Company bargaining team members if they would be able to afford the Company's proposed premium levels of as much as $1,300 a month, and both responded they wouldn't be able to.

The Union passed their counter to the Company counter on Article 4 – Union Representation; the Union agreed to accept the Company's demand to a word change in the language but wanted the phrase "such time to conduct Union business will not be unreasonably denied" back in.  The Company took the Union's counter under advisement.

The Union then passed Article 15 – Pay Treatment for Absences to the Company and explained all the changes the Union was looking for.  The Company took the Union's proposal under advisement and will respond back to the Union.

The Company then passed their counter to Union proposal Article 5 – Union-Management Relations, in which the Company eliminated a majority of the Union's proposed language.  Heated discussion ensued regarding the Company's stated position on the Union's concerns and the fact that the Company said they understood and would make sure the Union's concerns would be addressed going forward, but didn't see any sense in including the language in the contract as long as they gave a verbal commitment to the Union.

The meeting concluded at 12:15PM.  The Company bargaining team members will be flying back home for the weekend, while the Union team will be here working all weekend.  The next scheduled meeting is tentatively scheduled for 10:30AM Monday morning.

To all mothers among our members, the Bargaining Team wishes you all a happy and joyous Mother's Day.