American Red Cross - NEPA Region - Bargaining Report: May 9, 2011

With the assistance of a Federal Mediator, the Chief Negotiators for CWA and the NEPA Region met to review the status of our labor contract negotiations; and how to get back to the bargaining table. This is the first time the parties have met since the membership rejected the December 17, 2010 Tentative Agreement.

Both parties attempted to keep the discussion from spiraling into a finger-pointing exercise. The majority of the discussion focused on ways to get back together to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement.

After consideration of the hurdles keeping us from an agreement, the Union Chair recommended that the Region consider leaving all contract provisions in the expired 2007 contract as they are (status quo), which includes the current health care premium sharing plan, and provide a wage increase in 2011 and 2012 in order to reach an agreement until June 2013.

The meeting adjourned with the Region Chair agreeing to discuss the Union's recommendation with local management and then get back to the Union.

James N. Byrne
Assistant to VP
CWA District 13