Bargaining Our Contract

Day 18 - Daily Bargaining Update - 10/29/26

benjamin.wilcox
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Brothers & Sisters, 

A brief update on negotiations today, we will have more updates later. This morning the union met with the company and prepared a comprehensive package with major movement on our proposals based on what the company said would move us toward a deal. 

This afternoon the company’s response was to give us what they called their last best and final offer. We can’t sugarcoat this, the company’s last offer was a complete insult to our members. If the company got their way, this proposal would leave our members worse off by the end of the contract - our wages would be eaten up by inflation and our members would continue to be crushed by healthcare costs. Additionally, the company has done NOTHING on proposals as simple as successorship and job security, which costs the company nothing and means everything for our members’ lives.

And let’s be clear. This is a normal hardball tactic from the company and from their union-busting law firm Morgan Lewis. Next, expect that the company will send their “last best final offer” directly to the membership and pressure us to vote on their bad deal that has:

  • No job security
  • No successorship
  • No CoLA
  • No wages comparable to GE and Rolls Royce
  • No relief from crushing healthcare costs on our most vulnerable members and their families

The Union responded to the company by telling them we can still get to a deal, and we are willing to work through the weekend. The company said they would talk but that the company doesn’t intend to respond to our members’ needs and core priorities.

The position of the Union is that we are here to work to get a deal. Our membership has been clear about the priorities. We are reasonable and want to get to a deal. The company can afford it with a fraction of their $680 million in profits from our work. We are open to negotiating in good faith with the company. But if they refuse to bargain in good faith, we will have no other choice. 

So on Sunday at 8pm your bargaining committee will be communicating to the membership that either we have a deal, or we will be on strike commencing at 5am on Monday morning November 2.  

The bargaining committee is now finalizing strike logistics and will communicate those details to the membership tomorrow. And the committee will send full details of the current Union and company proposals this evening.

For weeks we have been showing one another that we have each other's backs. Now is our time to hold strong for a great contract. 

In Solidarity

Your Bargaining Committee