July 28, 2016
Your Negotiating Committee met the week of July 25th – 29th, 2016 in Chicago. The week started out with CEO Oscar Munoz talking to the Union Committee. Chairman Munoz gave his vision for the future of the Company, including how our group fits in to that strategy going forward. He answered several questions regarding his involvement in facilitating the process of talks that will lead to an industry leading contract.
All the Letters of Agreement (LOAs) from each of the three CBAs were reviewed and put together into a list of those that could be removed, updated, merged with others or moved to Historical Reference Section (HRO). We met with the Company over the next day and a half working through the list. Your committee was able to come to agreement with the company on 17 of the LOAs. The rest of the LOAs are tied to the economic four corners of the agreement and will be discussed during the next bargaining session.
On Thursday, the Company presented a comprehensive counter proposal. This proposal will be reviewed and countered during the next session. Three additional Articles were TA’d after the Company’s proposal.
As a result of the nature of the talks, the NMB has instructed the parties to avoid discussing any details of the proposal. Board member Linda Puchala sent Mediator Gerry McGuckin an email which stated in part:
“The parties have reached a critical stage in the mediation process that entails the discussion of all remaining sections of the contract. This stage of mediation is characterized by the discussion and exchange of comprehensive proposals.”
Further she stated:
“As we enter this stage of mediation the NMB Chairman and the NMB Mediators assigned to this case have asked the parties to refrain from public disclosure of the details of these comprehensive proposals.”
This is commonly referred to as a formal gag order from the NMB. This order preventing the committee members and all parties involved from speaking about the terms discussed during each session will stay in place until the parties reach a tentative agreement.
The NMB has instructed the parties that we will meet the week of August 8th, 2016 in Reston, Virginia.
Your Negotiating Committee
