As previously reported, during the January 19th, 2016 meeting at the National Mediation Board, the Union offered to accept the Company proposal of October 2015 as a separate agreement for the sub ASA members of Express Jet.
The Company rejected this in an email and stated that they would be putting forward separate proposals for the sub ASA and sub XJT technician groups.
Bob Madigan has been holding meetings on the shop floor stating that the Company will be giving the Union a proposal on February 5th. He seems to be trying to create a narrative that the Union is trying to block the sub ASA members from getting a pay raise. This is very disingenuous. This is the Company that has been stalling throughout both direct negotiations and two years of Mediated negotiations. This is the Company that still has nine open contracts and has failed to reach a ratified agreement with any of its unions.
Under the Railway Labor Act, the sub ASA group has no status quo rights. If the Company wants to give pay raises to the group it can legally do so IMMEDIATELY.
The Union has no gain in not getting more money for the group.
One certain result of the January 19th meeting is that the bargaining will resume with the Federal Mediator presiding.
The Union made the point that is was tired of the Company sending low level management personnel to the bargaining table who had no authority to bind the Company to an Agreement.
The Company agreed to send people with that authority to the negotiations and is an important reason why the negotiations will continue in Mediation in front of the Federal Mediator.
When dates are set they will be announced.
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