Bargaining report for June 2012

 On Tuesday, June 12th, we met with the Company and clarified some questions in their proposal for Article 9- Filling of Vacancies. This is a very complicated article and the Committee wanted some clarification before we made our counter proposal. The Company left and returned later with a counter proposal for Article 5- Hours of Service. The Committee submitted a counter proposal for Article 8- Seniority. The Company gave the Committee a counter proposal on Article 1- Purpose of Agreement. The Committee stayed to go over the proposal.

On Wednesday, June 13th, we met with the company and gave them our counter proposals to Article 1- Purpose of Agreement and Article 26- System Board of Arbitration. These were presented as Tentative Agreements and the Company agreed. In the TA for Article 26, the Company agreed to hold Arbitrations in the East and West now based on the location of the grievance, to save time and money. The previous language required all arbitrations be held in Phoenix. We were also able to get the company to agree to space positive travel to the hearings for the grievant, even if they are terminated, Union Representatives, one witness and the Union Arbitration Panel representative, provided they are employees of the Company. These were positive changes for the membership.

The Union presented our counter proposal on Article 9- Filling of Vacancies. We proposed to simplify the process including discontinuing the interview process for CSS and Club agents and to fill the vacancy by seniority. The Company delivered proposals for Article 34- General and Miscellaneous and Article 35- Amendments to the Agreement. The Company left and the Committee stayed to discuss Article 23- Uniforms.

On Thursday, June 14th, we met with the Company and they submitted a proposal for Article 19- Holidays. The Committee discussed our response to Article 5- Hours of Service. We met with the Company and set dates for October 30 thru November 1st.
Keep in mind we do not give specifics right now on each article because they can change in each session of bargaining and until we have a final tentative agreement to vote on, the proposed language can change often and we do not want to cause any confusion.

The next scheduled bargaining session is in Tempe, Arizona on August 7, 8 and 9.