On Monday, December 13th, the M&R Negotiating Committee met late in the afternoon to finalize contract Articles in preparation for the scheduled meeting with the mediator and Company representatives the following day.
On Tuesday morning (December 14, 2010) the M&R Negotiating Committee Co-Chairs, Larry Pike (President TWU Local 567) and Don Videtich (ATD Representative), along with Attorney Mark Richard, met with the NMB Mediators Jack Kane and Walter Darr, to discuss the logistics for this session. Based on the outcome of those discussions, the M&R Negotiating Committee met to make final selection of Articles to be presented to the Company the following day. This was based on the guidelines given by the Mediator to the Committee to focus on getting all the non-compensatory Articles resolved. The committee Co-Chairs then met with the Company to discuss Articles from the failed Tentative Agreement that could remain ‘tentatively agreed to.’
The Articles that would remain tentatively agreed to were:
Article 9- Probationary Period
Article 10- Seniority
Article 13- Seniority Lists
Article 18- Military Leave
Article 19- Termination of Employment
Article 20- Bulletin Boards
Article 22- Regular and Relief Assignments
Article 23- Attendance at Hearings, Investigations or Training Classes
Article 24- Absence from Duty
Article 25- Recall and Call in Work
Article 26- Field Trips
Article 29- Representation
Article 32- Boards of Adjustment
Article 33- No Strike – No Lock Out
Article 35- Temporary Employees
Article 37- Severance
Article 38- Union Security
Article 43- Part Time Employees
Article 44- Moving Expenses
Article 45- Effect on Prior Agreements
Later that same afternoon (December 14, 2010), the M&R Negotiating Committee met with Jack Kane and Company representatives. The committee gave a power point presentation explaining the specific reasons why our members overwhelmingly rejected the Tentative Agreement (TA). The parties were then excused by the mediator to reconvene the next morning.
On Wednesday morning (December 15, 2010), the TWU M&R Committee met with both Mediators and Company Representatives to propose changes to the following Articles:
Article 2- Definitions
Article 16- Recall
Article 17- Leaves of Absence
Article 46- One Station Complex Agreements
The Company agreed to changes in Articles 2 and 46. After some discussion and changes in the language, the Company agreed to Articles 16 and 17.
Thursday, December 16, 2010 started with a meeting with the NMB Mediator Jack Kane, followed by prepping Articles 14, 27, 28, 30 and 31 to pass to the Company. After discussion with the Committee, Mediator Jack Kane and Company Representatives, the Company agreed to the changes made to the following Articles:
Article 14-Loss of Seniority
Article 27-General
Article 28-No Discrimination, and Recognition of Rights and Compliance
Article 30-Grievance Procedure for Dismissal/Corrective Action
Article 31-Grievance Procedure for Contractual Violations
Following the meeting with the Company, the Committee began final preparation to pass Article 12 to the Company.
Friday morning, December 17, the Co-Chairmen of the Negotiating Committee met with NMB Mediator Jack Kane to tentatively set the next time the TWU and Company negotiating teams will meet. After that discussion, the Committee decided to meet as TWU only on January 4-5, 2011 in Dallas to prepare the next set of Articles to be passed to the Company.
The next mediation session for the M&R Negotiating Committee with the NMB Mediator Jack Kane and the Company is January 10-14, 2011 in Hurst, Texas.
The M&R Negotiating Committee appreciates your patience and support as we work toward an agreement. We would also like to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.