Negotiations Update January 18, 2015

The negotiations committee met in Houston last week to review and finalize a proposal to the company as mandated by the Mediator.  The committee worked through both days and was able to complete all but two items. Health and Welfare and Pension are those two remaining items.  

Regarding Health and Welfare; the committee was presented with a proposal from TeamCare, which could lower overall costs and maintain the overall maintenance of benefits for the membership. However, there are still some questions the committee would like answered from TeamCare. Accordingly a meeting has been set up for both the Benefits Committee and the Negotiating Committee in Chicago on February 4^th.  

Regarding the pension proposal, there were several questions about changes in regulations since the proposal was first formulated two years ago. The committee will have these questions answered on February 5^th. It is expected that after the two-day question and answer session the negotiating committee will finalize its comprehensive proposal and present it to the mediator.