Day 11 - Bargaining Update

Good afternoon Brothers & Sisters,

Today, the Union met with the company and provided all proposals. 

Just to recap the past week - the Union made multiple counter proposals last week and even provided our full economic proposal last Friday October 16 to give both parties plenty of time to work toward a deal. The company has not provided proposals or counter proposals since October 15, and says they are still not prepared to give the Union any of their economic proposals. In fact, the company requested that the Union continue giving them movement on non-economic proposals this week, which the Union has done in a show of good faith.

The Union provided the company a non-economic proposal today on 8 articles. The company brought nothing.

That said, the Union is here to try to get to an agreement and we made some progress on non-economic discussions with the company today, including backing the company down from some of their attacks on our seniority rights and discipline.

But then the company shared something we want to make sure the membership is aware of: today - 11 days before expiration of our CBA - and with the company not providing economics or any major proposals since October 15 and nothing on Job Security, the company shared with the Union that they intend to overhaul our health plan. The company provided no other details, and in fact has conditioned giving their economic proposals on the Union providing a healthcare proposal first. Obviously this is not possible when the company waited this late to tell us they have already been working on switching providers. The company has a duty under the law to provide information for bargaining mandatory subjects like health care. This is not normal.

So we are going to be clear - it looks like the company is attempting to hide the ball on their economic and healthcare package until next week and then drop a last-minute package on the Union just days from the expiration in an attempt to pressure our membership to take a deal before we have a chance to understand it. Triumph has tried this sneak attack strategy before.

We are ready for this and we will not accept any offer that doesn’t meet the criteria our membership has set:

• Industry leading wages
• Affordable healthcare
• Job Security
• No Concessions

And we certainly won’t allow the company to try to pressure our membership to take a bad deal or a deal no one has a chance to understand. Not in a year where 90% of our members signed the Strike Pledge in one day!

That’s right, just hours after we sent out pledge cards nearly all of our members had signed them. That’s real solidarity and that is what gives us the strength to back the company down from concessions and keep driving toward a great contract.

We are in the final two weeks. Stay tuned for more actions coming up if the company keeps stalling or playing tricks. And WEAR RED TOMORROW, Wednesday 10/21. 

Thanks to everyone who signed the pledge cards! Thank you to the union members that helped collect them and get them signed. We appreciate you! 

In Solidarity, 

Your Bargaining Committee