Negotiations update from IAM AGC Mark Baskett.
Briefing for 1-19-19
NEGOTIATIONS: Hi everyone. Hopefully most of you have read the association briefing by now. While it might sound as if not much was accomplished this past week, at least I feel we made some decent progress. Our executive team made it clear to the two mediators and the company that they wanted to use this past week as well as the next weeks we have scheduled to address the major issues we have outstanding.
Even though full negotiating teams were present, it was still the executive team that met with the mediators and company. The negotiating teams which were in a separate room, were briefed two times each day on what was going on. Those briefs took place at noon, and at the end of the day.
This past week was used mainly to go over the insurance issues and cost. The executive team presented the cost of our insurance programs to the company and mediators. Of course the company had their cost of the insurances that they want us to go to.
When I speak of insurance, yes it means the medical. But also presented was the dental, vision, short term and long term disability etc. While I know that the medical is the biggest issue that we all talk about, all insurances and cost were discussed.
We were also briefed on some financial issues that were discussed. And the length of the contract.
Toward the end of the week, the executive team with the mediators set up the scope agenda to be discussed at the next meeting. The next meeting in FLL, is suppose to be on scope, which if this does happen, should be a interesting week.
As many of you have heard me say, scope and insurance, with scope being the biggest are in my opinion the two main issues keeping these talks from concluding. It appears the company is being very picky about what is included in fleet scope. Our first goal with scope is to simply guarantee all work that is being performed today. And then if successful with that, to put language in to grow our scope as the company grows. But the company doesn't even want to guarantee us the work that we are performing today at all locations.
Think about it. This doesn't cost the company one more cent than what it cost them today, since we are already performing this work today. So if that doesn't tell everyone out there just what the company wants to do with our work over time, then you need to wake up. Obviously if they don't want to guarantee what we are doing today, then they want to shrink and take away some portions of that over the period of the contract. We simply can't give up our current work. Work that I remind you we do today under a LUS 2014 agreement as the 5th largest carrier, or under a bankrupt TWU agreement. Its not asking too much from now the worlds largest carrier making record profits, for us to be guaranteed that work.
MEDIATION: Just another quick reminder, because many are still confused. Now that the NMB is in control of these talks. When we meet and where we meet, and for how long we meet, is in their control. And yes, again, we could meet without the mediators, but as of now, the company has refused to do this. Our next session again is scheduled for the week of January 28th in Fll.
