September 14, 2014
The parties met in Washington DC on September 11th and 12th at the offices of the National Mediation Board under the auspices of mediator Gerry McGuckin.
Thursday morning the company presented a comprehensive economic term sheet proposal. After the company explained their proposal to the full union committee the work of producing a counter proposal began.
The rank and file negotiating committee spent the next day and a half, working late into the nighton Thursday, reviewing and putting in writing the counter proposal. With help from lead negotiator Clacy Griswold, the committee was able to present its counter on Friday afternoon.
Included in both of the parties’ proposals were items addressing Scope, Pensions, Health and Welfare and Wages. The committee was assisted in its Scope and Pension responses by attorney Ed Gleason, and for Health and Welfare by actuary Gaelle Gravot, and finally with Wages by economist Dan Akins. Creative solutions are still being explored for health and welfare benefits, which are a major concern of the committee and the membership. One possible solution to health and welfare being discussed was TeamCare, which the UPS workers just recently accepted as their new plan.
After passing the counter proposal on Grievance Procedure, Article 19 was T/A’d. There was also some progress made on items that were not part of the four corner stones. Mediator McGuckin was satisfied with the progress made and encouraged the parties to work in small committees ahead of the next scheduled session in October.
The next formal negotiating session will be the week of October 20th in Chicago.
