SEARCH
Pilots Helped Continental, Will Airline Now Help Them?—and More Bargaining News |
|
Some 500 pilots at Continental Airlines picketed outside company headquarters to demand better pay and benefits, and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 900 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.
WORK STOPPAGES AND ACTIONS
ALPA, Continental Airlines: Scores of uniformed Continental Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots (ALPA), picketed outside company headquarters in downtown Houston to demand better pay and benefits, which they say they gave up three years ago to save the airline from bankruptcy. Pilots want pay and retirement benefits to “reflect their professionalism and the level of responsibilities that they assume,” said Capt. John Prater, president of ALPA.
CWA, New Jersey: In New Jersey, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) plans to launch television, radio and print ads to oppose several pension and benefit cuts proposed by lawmakers. The union, which represents 55,000 state and local government workers, will spend more than $1 million on the campaign, said Robert Master, CWA regional political director. Union leaders have said they are particularly angry about proposed benefit changes a year after they agreed to a state contract that included cost-saving concessions.
IUOE, Westmoreland Resources: Miners, represented by Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 400, at the Absaloka Mine in Near Hardin, Mont., owned by Westmoreland Resources Inc. (WRI), went on strike, after working without a contract since March 20. WRI is seeking a five-year pact, while the union only wants a three-year contract.
AFT-NEA, Los Angeles Unified School District: Thousands of Los Angeles teachers, represented by the AFT and National Education Association (NEA), protested proposed state budget cuts in a morning job action that delayed the beginning of class for most students but caught the attention of state and local politicians and parents. The demonstration was intended to draw attention to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s latest budget, which provides a $193 million increase over last year’s education funding but does not include a cost-of-living increase and cuts support to some programs.
CNA/NNOC, Aroostook Medical Center: Nurses from the Aroostook Medical Center in Maine, represented by the Maine State Nurses Association Unit 7631-California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), rallied with nurses around the state to demand a contract. A key issue involves staffing levels.
NEGOTIATIONS
SAG, Hollywood Studios: The Screen Actors (SAG) said talks with Hollywood studios could extend past the June 30 deadline of the current contract, but the union was willing to keep actors working without a deal. In an e-mail to The Associated Press, SAG Executive Director Doug Allen said the union was hoping for an agreement soon but was prepared to keep negotiating into July.
ALPA, Northwest/Delta: ALPA negotiators, representing pilots from Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, met in Atlanta to continue discussions for joint contract negotiations with Delta.
UAW, Ford: Ford Motor Co. plant managers and a UAW representative will discuss the company’s business plans, including how it will deal with the U.S. market’s rapid shift from trucks to cars. In May, Ford announced it will increase production of cars and crossover vehicles through additional shifts and overtime and the realignment of some of its manufacturing capacity.
CSEA, Vallejo School District: In California, Vallejo school employees, represented by the California School Employees Association (CSEA), have issued an initial proposal for a new union contract that calls for a 9 percent raise and fully paid health benefits.
SETTLEMENTS
AFTRA, Hollywood Studios: Leaders of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) approved a new contract with Hollywood studios that grants actors more money for Internet work. The contract now goes to the union’s 70,000 members for ratification. Ballots will be counted July 7. The existing contract expires June 30.
AFT, Pittsburgh Public Schools: In Pittsburgh, 800 technical-clerical workers and classroom support staff, represented by the AFT, approved a new three-year contract. Specific details have not been released.
AFT, Novato School District: Some 450 teachers in California, represented by the Novato Federation of Teachers-AFT, reached a tentative agreement on a 2007-2008 contract, which calls for teachers to receive a 2.2 percent raise immediately.
UFCW, Kroger: In Indiana, Kroger grocery workers, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 700, reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The tentative agreement covers more than 4,200 Kroger associates, who work in 60 stores in and around Indianapolis and other parts of Indiana, including Bloomington, Crawfordsville and Kokomo. Details have not been released.
ORGANIZING
AFA-CWA, Delta Air Lines: Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) filed formal charges with the National Mediation Board (NMB) against Delta, alleging the carrier’s management illegally interfered with the recent union representation election among Delta’s flight attendants. The allegations “include substantial evidence that Delta flight attendants were denied a free and fair election due to management’s aggressive tactics aimed at defeating union representation.”
IATSE, Blue Man Group: The Blue Man Group has been ordered to the bargaining table after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sided with federal labor officials and IATSE Local 720, which has been seeking a contract for stagehands at The Venetian show in Las Vegas. The ruling could be a final turn in a labor dispute that has been ongoing since 2005.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only. As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.
1 Comment
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Do you see a common thread here? Management wants employees to grant them concessions to carry the company through rough times, then when the company is in better shape, they turn their back on the employees. They refuse to negotiate, they stall and use every dirty “legal” tactic or loophole they can devise to avoid paying fair wages and treating employees with any consideration or concern for their safety and well-being. They have the help of the NLRB (Non-Labor Relations Board) who go along with corporate the majority of the time, a few token cases for the worker make it through the NLRB so they can crow about how they are on the side of workers. (Yeah, that 10% or so in favor of workers really cuts it!)
Ford expects its employees to grant concessions to make up for some extremely stupid Ford corporate decisions in the past, but the CEOs involved are not giving up anything. Ford kept telling us that we wanted huge gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs while the foreign automakers were quietly building gas-sipping, well-made smaller vechicles. Americans voted with their wallets and Ford started sinking. Now they are finally seeing the light and expect employees to make all the concessions to get the company in the black again. Look at Alan Mullally’s actions during the last IAM strike: he acted like he was the only person on earth responsible for Boeing’s success, and made derogatory remarks about the IAM and Boeing employees. Ford employees are Kleenex to him: use them up and toss them out. Don’t fall for it, any concessions you make will NOT be repaid in the future!