Bargaining Digest Weekly by Gordon Pavy, Mar 28, 2007

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/03/28/bargaining-digest-weekly-50/

Bargaining Digest Weekly

by Gordon Pavy, Mar 28, 2007

The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 800 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

In Mississippi, the Electrical Workers (IBEW) and metal trades unions, representing 8,000 striking workers at a Northrop Grumman shipyard, surveyed their members about contract demands prior to the March 21 mediation session, which was just one day short of the two-week mark for the strike. The company could be feeling pressure to meet government contract deadlines or face fines. Survey results reveal that strikers want higher wages. The striking shipyard workers at Northrop Grumman told shipyard owners they want raises of $4 per hour over the term of a new contract, with $2 up front at settlement.

At their first meeting with the mediator last Wednesday, no progress was reported in the three-and-a-half-hour session, and no new meetings were scheduled. Northrop Grumman shipyard President Philip Teel said in newspaper interview, “We did not clearly understand the issues” but insists the $143 million price tag for the contract offer is fair.

Airlines

The AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department criticized the tentative approval of the Virgin America plan and the Open Skies agreement, which lifts restrictions on what trans-Atlantic flights can be offered by foreign carriers. On March 22, the European Union ratified the Open Skies agreement.

The bankruptcy court judge for Northwest Airlines’ Chapter 11 case has delayed a ruling on a Flight Attendants-CWA breach of contract claim that would award 8,000 flight attendants more than $1 billion in future wages.

Manufacturing, Mining and Construction

The International Coal Group (ICG) is closing the Sago Mine. ICG said the continuing controversy and legal battles surrounding the explosion that killed 12 miners in January 2006 had nothing to do with the decision to shut down.

President George W. Bush visited auto plants in Missouri, prompting UAW calls for incentives to build advanced technologies in the United States. Bush also plans to meet again with the CEOs of the Big Three automakers next week. For their performance in aiding Chrysler’s $1.5 billion loss last year, 1,300 Chrysler executives and 21,000 salaried employees will get bonuses in their pay envelope.

American Axle, one of the more profitable auto parts makers, may acquire Chrysler’s Detroit axle operations. AK Steel workers are returning to work in Ohio following their one-year lockout. The company and Machinists union are moving toward harmony among managers, union members and replacement workers who retain their jobs.

The judge in the Delphi bankruptcy case OK’d $37 million in bonuses for top Delphi executives. In objecting to the bonuses, Delphi’s unions claimed the standards for qualifying for the bonuses were too low and essentially reward executives for “the mere act of breathing.” The UAW strike at a Kohler plant in Searcy, Ark., reached 100 days amid the hiring of replacement workers and the union filing unfair labor practice charges.

Education

The Florida Senate passed the replacement bill for a new teacher merit pay plan.

Retail, Hotels, Services and Agriculture

Eighty percent of the floor employees at Ceasars’ casino in Atlantic City, N.J., voted to form a union and join the UAW. Caesars plans to file an objection to the election based on a claims of coercion that destroyed the conditions for a free and fair election.

Telecommunications, Entertainment and Media

Verizon has rejected the Communications Workers of America’s (CWA’s) presentation of a majority of authorization cards certified by theNew York City comptroller and intends to force its workers through the delay-ridden, coercive National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election process.

Fairpoint, the company purchasing Verizon’s New England landline operations, says job or benefit cuts are not planned if the takeover is approved. But IBEW and CWA say this promise is meaningless until they see plans for how they will manage the network.

Transportation and Public Utilities

The union presidents representing union members at the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS)-MEBA testified before the House aviation safety subcommittee. PASS President Tom Brantley told the committee about the contract impasse for workers in five bargaining units at the FAA and called for a change at the agency so workers could get an equitable contract. NATCA also is at an impasse with the FAA, and NATCA President Pat Forrey also testified regarding the FAA’s failure to work in cooperative collaboration with employees and stakeholders of the agency.

The United Transportation Union has extended the Canadian Railway contract vote for 2,800 conductors from the original deadline of March 26 to April 10 because some workers have not received ballots.

Arbitrations and Legal Developments

The U.S. Department of Labor, in response to a lawsuit filed by the AFL-CIO, has agreed finally to issue rules on company responsibility for providing safety equipment in November.

In Ontario, a bill to ban the usage of replacement workers during strikes failed to pass by one vote. Businesses lobbied hard against the bill, arguing that they would be harmed by not being able to operate during strikes.

FULL story at link.