UPDATE!

NEGOTIATIONS

with

Durham School Services

April 14th - Due to bad whether Durham Chief Negotiator Cal Schimdt was unable to arrive into Pensacola Regional Airport till late morning.  Therefore the Union and Company agreed to begin negotiations at 11:00 am.

ATU Local 1395 had a complete contract proposal package for Drivers, Monitors, and Mechanics that was about 25 pages in length.  These proposals included wage increases, improvements on Group Health Insurance, protection in working hours and more hours of work, field trip language, bidding rights, and so much more. 

Management did not provide the Union with contract proposals.  "This was sad to see, Cal Schmidt had agreed in writing to swap proposals at the beginning of the negotiations, it's sad to see they showed up with nothing" states Union President Mike Lowery.  It sent a message of how the Company planned to proceed forward with the negotiations.

The Company then after the lunch break provided a verbal idea of some of their concerns.  But NO proposals were provided.

April 15, 2009 -  The negotiations started back up with the Company providing a document to the Union which was titled Contract Proposals, but in reality again was not actual counter proposals.  Most of the items read that the Company will provide language at a later date.

After a reviewed break by the Union of the Company document the Union responded.  The meeting ended with the Union demanding more of a commitment of the Company to respond to the Union proposals.  Cal Schmdit stated at the next negotiation session he would respond to the Union proposals

The next session was set for May 5th, starting at 8:00am in Milton complex in the portable training room.

Many bargaining unit employees/union members took the time out to sit in and listen and learn the process in negotiations.  The Union liked to thank all who participated and attended.

"It is clear that the Company is going to stall and drag the negotiations out" states Teresa Coffield, VP-ATU 1395

"The Union wage proposal is unrealistic and unreasonable" states Durham Chief Negotiator Cal Schmidt.

"We'd like to eliminate Home to School pay.  Drivers won't start getting paid till their first pick up, we have formula's to do this" Durham Chief Negotiatior Cal Schmidt.

"It is the Company's position that we need to delete some sections of the Article which covers health insurance, it is our position that we will determine coverage and cost". Cal Schmidt.

Copy of Union contract proposals - see below