Your Bargaining Committee has been to the table over a dozen times since bargaining began in April, here is a brief description.

We have been able to gain some small improvements in benefits and allowances and achieved an improvement to travel time. We have been able to retain the language regarding seniority over skill and ability.

The company has been telling the employees, through their town hall meetings/all employee calls, that this year has been better than forecasts. The parts and service revenue numbers for all regions are in the black and are expected to continue in that direction. Some areas are experiencing difficulty in recruiting new employees and retaining current employees. Overtime is the norm, some employees are told to work as much overtime as they want.

We have concluded the majority of the language terms and we’re working to get to a monetary package that will satisfy all members. This is a difficult stage with the company wanting to contain costs and the committee trying to make amends for previous years of no increase and low percentages. Your bargaining committee feels that with the current economic conditions, this year is our best opportunity to recover for those lean years.

It was brought to the committee this morning that the company has leaked their wage proposal to the membership. This has been expressed as their best offer. The tradition of dealing with the issues at the bargaining table until we have a package that can be taken to the members has been lost. Your committee feels that this information has again weakened the fragile trust between the members and employer. Your committee will be discussing this turn of the events with the company.

Details will be shared shortly.

Your bargaining committee