Our Bargaining Team met with Management again on Wednesday, June 2 for not only our first day of mediation, but also the first time we’ve met since December 2020.

While we did see some movement on both sides of the table, Management only showed a willingness to make hairline movement on the issues that matter most. They did back off their proposal to reduce our retirement benefits, but their proposed wage increases and refusal to accept retro pay are completely unacceptable.

It’s time for Management to put away their coin purse and get out their wallet, rise out of the bargain basement and present something acceptable. We are not finding bargains at the grocery store or gas station, Management proposed wage increases are not even close to keeping up with the skyrocketing cost of living. We also need Management to offer a fair pension increase, investing in our future so that we can retire in dignity.

On the heels of a once in a lifetime pandemic, will Northwest Administrators step up and take care of their employees?

We are meeting with Management again on Tuesday, June 29 and are hoping that mediation will help build momentum towards a deal.

“We work hard everyday to seek improvements in our wages, retirement benefits, and working conditions to reflect our value to the company”

— NW Administrators Bargaining Team

What is mediation? When the Union and Employer have reached a point when little progress is being made, the parties have the option to bring in a neutral third-party mediator to help move things along. The federal government provides a free meditation service (FMCS) that works exclusively on Union-Employer disputes and has assigned a mediator to help us reach a deal with Management. The role of the mediator is to help the parties better understand the other’s point of view and to push both sides towards an agreement.