A message from your President on bargaining

 

Good day Brothers and Sisters,

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I hope that this message finds everyone in good health and spirits. Because we are aware that this is the first time many of us have gone through a negotiation process, I would like to offer some information that you can view at your leisure. Most of the travel and transportation industry is governed by the Railway Labor Act which the following short videos explain. They also demonstrate how the bargaining process works, the approximate pace of the proceedings and also addresses the strike vote which the pilots recently took. 

 

The Railway Labor Act is a term mentioned often, but here's how it applies; 

 

1. (12) The Railway Labor Act - YouTube

2. (12) Understanding the Railway Labor Act - YouTube

3. (12) Introduction to the Railway Labor Act - YouTube

4. (12) Railway Labor Act (RLA) Part 3- Proffer of Arbitration and Self-Help - YouTube

 

Things to know;

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1. Contract Negotiations are not done on a local level. There are approximately 10 CWA locals that handle local issues for the various stations that are assigned to them, but each local does not have an individual representative at the bargaining meetings. 

 

2. The negotiations team for CWA-IBT is made up of three people that represent reservations and five that represent the airport. The team for the CWA side was put together by vote of delegates at the 2019 National CWA Convention in Las Vegas, NV. CWA has a total of five of the eight representatives, two from reservations and three from the airport. 

 

3. The votes that elect the bargaining committee are cast by the delegates (officers) of each local from the Passenger Service group. All members in good standing are eligible for nomination. You are not required to hold an office or Executive Board position as a part of the eligibility. 

 

4. During the negotiation process, a confidentiality agreement is signed between the Union and the Company. This is why there's limited information available about the particulars of each meeting. 

 

5. Passenger Service is currently negotiating its 4th contract in its history. 

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Please feel free to ask questions about the process as our lines of communication are always open. I hope that this information gives you a better understanding of what to expect as bargaining continues.

 

In Unity,

 

Tammy Scott

President Local 3642

Bargaining Team Member