The Company and the Union continued talks late into the evening on Tuesday, May 13. Significant differences separate both sides, but undeniable progress has been made.

The Company and the Union have yet to reach agreement on core issues, such as wages, health care, retirement security, meaningful grievance and arbitration language and limitations on the use of contractors. The Union and the Company had a lengthy discussion about access authorization for discharged employees reinstated through arbitration. The Union has repeatedly made the point to the Company that access authorization is a vital concern not only in promoting a decent working relationship between the parties, but also in making the arbitration process effective.

The Union pulled a significant number of proposals in the interest of narrowing the field of bargaining subjects. The Union pulled its proposals for Article 1 (Recognition and Representation); Article 2 (Union Membership); Article 3 (Pay Roll Deductions); Article 4 (Mutual Obligations); Article 7 (Emergencies); Article 8 (Union Activities); Article 9 (Conformation to Laws, Regulations and Orders); Article 36 (Shared Services); and Article 38 (Outage Assignments). The Union made clear that it can live with the imperfect current language on those subjects.

The Union made a proposal to the Company that it can agree to the current language in Article 16 (Excused Absences From Work) and Article 27 (Disability Benefits), but demanded the removal of section 27.37 which allows the Company to penalize legitimately sick employees by parceling out their jobs to other employees during leave. The Union made the point -- repeatedly and clearly -- that employees who are sick should really have an opportunity to convalesce, rather than worrying about what the Company is going to do with their job. More discussion on this issue is also likely.

The Company has offered a counteroffer on Article 5 (Management Rights), which includes bringing forward a related Memorandum of Agreement.

Please remembers that the informational meeting for P&M/OTP members is today at 5 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, where negotiations are taking place. We will be able to provide more information at that time.
In solidarity,

Local 369 Bargaining Committee