Negotiations Update October 12, 2013

Negotiations resumed the week of October 7^th with the company in Phoenix, Arizona. Both parties engaged in an effort to narrow issues in order to reach a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). 

The week began with a presentation from United on the highlights of the TA for IAM represented employees, brief preparations of the committee by representatives of the Airline Division, and an article by article review of open items.  Additionally an overview of benefits information was given by our Gaelle Gavotte of Cheiron, our actuary, and established a baseline for continued talks regarding benefits including medical, dental , vision care, flexible spending accounts (FSA), and healthcare spending accounts (HSA, VEBA).  The committee was also briefed on United’s current financial situation as it relates to the industry at large and our competitors by our financial analyst Dan Akins.  

Members from the ranks of the Flight Simulator Technicians and Engineering Groups on sCO and sUA discussed their integration into our agreement. The union committee was given a presentation by the FST’s regarding the supplemental changes needed to integrate these groups into the mechanic’s agreement.  For those that are unaware the NMB recently ruled that the FST group is a standalone craft and class and an election was held where the two subsidiary groups chose the IBT as their representative.  The sUA group has been a part of the agreement since the 1969 agreement.

Negotiations continued through the week with progress being made to close out several articles with open items from the previous round of talks.  The committee will next meet with United in Chicago for the week of November 4^th to continue negotiations.

Scope Committee Meeting 
As previously reported the scope committee will convene in Houston on October 17^th. Both the sCO and sUA committees will meet with the company to review the hangar plan each subsidiary.