The Mechanics Dispatch

Update The week was very busy for the subcommittee meetings involving benefits including medical and pensions. J.J. Johns from the Benefits committee was brought in to assist in the benefits talks between the parties last week and continued assistance in this week’s round. His history, experience, and knowledge in medical and other benefits related issues […]

Negotiations Update This week the negotiating team traveled back to Chicago. The week was spent reviewing the comprehensive proposal to Phase 2 subjects exchanged with the carrier in last week’s session. Each item from the Companies initial proposal was broken down and discussed by the committee. The union team then took another look at the

Negotiations Update  The parties met in Phoenix this week aided by Senior Mediator Pat Sims and Mediator Michael Kelleher of the NMB. Comprehensive proposals were exchanged that included wages, benefits, retirement security and scope.  After the initial proposals were made, subcommittees worked towards understanding the basis of the proposals. In addition the continued work of

Negotiations Update Last week negotiations continued in Chicago. The parties focused on developing comprehensive economic proposals. While no proposals were exchanged during this session it is expected that the parties will begin exchanging proposals the week of April 22nd in Phoenix. Negotiations will move back to Chicago the week of the 29th. The union committee

UAL Negotiators Continue to Show Progress  Negotiations on the UAL/CAL/CMI JCBA continued the week of March 18th with proof reading the final pass between the parties of the articles discussed so far. Once this was completed, a full copy of all the articles with the suggested corrections was discussed with their legal representative and then

Negotiations Update  To once again explain these negotiations using the NMB’s expedited negotiation process; articles of the agreement were discussed between the carrier and the union by small groups separated into sub committees. These sub-committee discussions broke down and thoroughly reviewed each paragraph of the article they were assigned and contemplated changes proposed by either

Phase 1 Now Complete in Principal The parties have now reached conclusion in principal on the entire agreement for non-economic Phase 1 issues. The work of crafting language will continue in parallel with the negotiation of Phase 2 economic discussions. The process of crafting language has been slow to this point and is a concern

Last week the language committee met to go over, line by line, the changes agreed to in principal by the sub committees over the last six weeks. Between the three separate agreements there were over 100 items in 24 articles and provisions that required review for Phase 1 in order to correctly draft the new

This week the parties met in Chicago to round out Phase 1 – (non economic) reconciliation talks. We are on schedule at this point and have discussed every article in the Phase 1 agenda. Other than a few remaining reconciliation issues that may have room for some further discussion, Phase 1 of the process is

This week the parties met in Chicago to continue Phase 1, non-economic reconciliation talks. The focus was on Articles 3 – (Classifications), Article 17 – (Overtime) and Article 12 – (Field Trips). The Union committee was missing a very important member due to health issues for this session. Allen Cosides suffered a heart attack last