Following the failed tentative agreement in October of last year, the first session of mediated negotiations occurred this week in Washington, DC under the auspices of the NMB and Mediator Jane Allen on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Your negotiating committee was joined by GLR John Werkmeister. The Company was represented by Bob Frisch with three management representatives present.
The Union was prepared and gave the Company a comprehensive proposal that represented the issues the membership deemed important to secure a follow-on tentative agreement. Following the receipt of our proposal, the Company spent time assessing it from their perspective for its value. There is no secret that it was a significantly more expensive package than the failed tentative agreement. However, it was representative of the recent changes that have been plentiful at a number of other regional airlines.
The Company’s response centered on their inability to afford anything greater than what was economically available and contained in the failed tentative agreement. Additional discussions were conducted by the mediator that, while comprehensive, were still steeped with the significant divide that exists between the parties.
Future dates have been set for mediated negotiations and will occur during the weeks of January 27 and March 16 and will occur in ORD. Dates for the month of February could not be coordinated with the mediator. If you have any questions, please contact one of your negotiating committee members or I can be reached at (859) 653-4037 or by email at .
With best wishes, we remain
Sincerely and fraternally,
James M. Samuel
GENERAL CHAIR
Gary Vargo-MKE Jason Saledas-CAE Seneca Harris-MKE
NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
POST ON ALL IAM BULLETIN BOARDS
