Bargaining Update for August and More News

Our CWA bargaining team met with the company’s bargaining team and the mediator on August 8-10 in Washington, DC, at the National Mediation Board (NMB) offices. The company responded to the proposal on compensation we made during our July meeting. Over the three days both sides passed several proposals focused on compensation. 

Although there was a large gap between our proposals at the start, we've made significant headway in closing the gap. We presented several options to narrow the gap and reach an agreement. But we still have a ways to go to reach a fair and equitable tentative agreement.

Each of our proposals included back pay to January 1, 2018. However, none of the company’s proposals included back pay, but did include a tiered signing bonus. They say that their willingness to provide back pay to January 1, 2018, was tied to the original tentative agreement. Because members did not ratify that tentative agreement, and because so much time has passed, they aren’t willing to offer it at this point.

Mark your calendars for our next Telephone Town Hall on August 16 at 8pm ET. Click here to register and we'll call you that evening at the start of the Telephone Town Hall. Members of our bargaining team will update us on progress in mediation, and member mobilizers will tell us about all the activity going on at stations across the country and how you can get involved. 

We need your help in ramping up the pressure on Piedmont to make the movement we need to reach a fair agreement. Your mobilization and unifying actions make a difference at the table. 

In addition to participating in the Telephone Town Hall please check with your local officers and mobilizers to see what activities they have planned. Our next round of bargaining is scheduled for September 11-13 in Pittsburgh.

In unity,

Marge Krueger, Bargaining Chair
Paul C. Castañeda, Bargaining Co-Chair
Donielle Prophete
Bruce Diep
John Priddy