Conifer - Bargaining Continues

“We find ourselves returning to the same principles of fairness and respect as the Employer refuses to place wages on the table. We feel that the Employer’s insistence of dragging their feet to even make an initial offer shows a concerning lack of both.”

-Bargaining Team: Shirley Messner, Rosandra Fedorko, Molly Werder

Your Bargaining Team met with the Employer again on November 2 and 5.

We are pleased to report significant process on several issues. We’ve won double the notice of upcoming schedules, amended seniority language to ensure fair treatment, increased the timeframe to file a grievance against the Employer, increased minimum hours paid when reporting to work, and much more.

However, we still have many unresolved issues such as paid sick time, the addition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an official paid holiday, healthcare and retirement improvements, workplace safety and, most importantly, wages. In fact, the Employer has continuously failed to make an economic counteroffer from the Union’s initial wage proposal made on October 22.

One of the primary reasons for the delay is that the Employer has refused to provide information requested by the Union needed to craft our safety/staffing proposal. Because they’ve refused to cooperate with the request, we haven’t been able to pass our safety/staffing proposal to Management, consequently, they’ve responded by refusing to provide their economic counter.

The Union alleges that the Employer’s refusal to provide the requested information is a violation of the law, which is why we have filed charges against the company with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). We are expecting a decision from the board soon.

This standoff has stalled negotiations until we have a decision from the board, which we hope to have in the coming days. We have reserved November 11 to meet again with Management however, if we do not have an answer by that time we will be forced to cancel and wait until our next scheduled date on November 23.

Please join our first virtual Contract Action Team (CAT) meeting to hear the latest directly from your Bargaining Team!

Tuesday, November 16
6 PM
Contact your Bargaining Team or Union Rep for Zoom details. Details will be emailed.