Red Cross: National Bargaining Report 4

National Bargaining Update – Call to Action!

The national bargaining session June 19-21 was the last scheduled national session with the Red Cross. The Union Coalition made progress on issues that affect our day-to-day lives, but management remains far from the union on where money should be invested.

The Union Coalition presented ways to increase savings for the company and reinvest the savings into the workforce. Management, however, claims there is not enough money to provide workers a living wage and financial stability to be able to plan our lives.

This special edition of the national bargaining has more information about what has happened at the national table, and what we can do next to fight for what we deserve.

Keep wearing your UNITED! buttons!
We will stay united until we reach an agreement that works for everyone.

Some Important Agreements
Reached, but Not Enough

We reached tentative agreements on some important issues, including worker safety and more flexibility when scheduling rest breaks.

(“Tentative agreements” refer to agreements that will only take effect if the
new national agreement is ratified).

Here are some of the issues that the Union Coalition and Red Cross Management reached tentative agreements on:

Worker Safety:
If a national agreement is reached, the Red Cross will be required to regularly provide information to the union on health and safety, including prior to implementation of some new policies affecting workers. Our agreement protects employees’ rights to report safety and health problems, and prohibits retaliation against workers who speak up against company safety violations.

Uniforms Policy:
Our agreement improves the uniforms policy with more flexibility and options for Red Cross workers, and provides an increase in the allowance.

Rest Breaks:
Our agreement will ensure that local management follow the National Addendum when administering rest breaks, and it provides that local union and management can decide together to agree to provide breaks under special circumstances.

Standing Together Across the Country!

The Union Coalition proposed a comprehensive economic package that includes areas where money can be saved in the organization. The union has negotiated with TeamCare to provide better options for workers, while providing savings for the Red Cross.

Many Red Cross workers are living check to check, struggling to pay for small emergencies or unexpected health issues, and are not able to do long-term planning for their families.

• When workers cannot afford to take their children to standard check-ups, Management’s response should not be to shift more costs to workers for healthcare.
• When workers say that they are not making a living wage, Management’s response should not be to present a package that undercuts wage increases for the people who do the day-to-day work of the organization.

The Union Coalition told management that we will not agree to a National Addendum that takes workers backward on wages or healthcare.

We are the face and the backbone of the American Red Cross and we deserve to be treated as such!

TELL YOUR STORY!

Many Red Cross workers are not paid livable wages and it is a struggle to make ends meet. While the Red Cross responds effectively to the needs of disaster relief victims and provides other critical services, it oftentimes fails to address the basic needs of its employees who perform this work. We want to know more! Please take time to complete the survey link sent to you this week from your union. Remind your co-workers to complete the surveys. The Union bargaining committee and public relations team will collect and communicate your concerns. Union surveys are due by Tuesday, July 3rd.

Contact your bargaining team representative, steward, or Local Union for more information.

We are wearing buttons to show Red Cross that we are paying attention to these negotiations and that we care about the outcomes.
How you can join this important fight!

• Stay in touch with your union bargaining team representative, stewards, and local union staff for information on more actions, and what to expect during contract negotiations.
• Schedule a union meeting to review your Local contract and ensure that workers are informed about their rights as union members.
• Take the union’s online survey, or write your own personal testimony about why you need higher wages, that your bargaining representative can share with Red Cross.

Read the full Red Cross Union Coalition Bargaining Report:

Also, check out the YouTube video: