MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD AT THE NEXT CONTRACT ACTION TEAM MEETING!

Monday, July 31 @ 3-4PM
Elemental Pizza, 3000 184th St SW #948, Lynnwood, WA 98037

Wednesday, August 2 @ 3-4PM
Southcenter Mall Food Court, 2800 Southcenter Mall, Seattle, WA 98188

Thursday, August 3 @ 1-2PM
Bellis Fair Mall Food Court, One Bellis Fair Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98226

“The hands of time are supposed to move forward, but Macy’s negotiations seem to defy that law as they appear to be spinning in place.” -Nicole Hardin, Bargaining Team Member, Alderwood Mall

Our Union Bargaining Team met with Management again June 27, 28 and July 13, 14.

Over the course of negotiations, Macy's Management has come forward with several concerning proposals. They attempted to replace our attendance language with their "reliability" program, remove our holiday pay language, increase the seasonal hire period, and remove our wage progressions. Additionally, their initial wage proposal was far below our expectations, offering only $0.40 at ratification, $0.35 in the second year, and $0.35 in the final year of the contract.

Alternatively, our Bargaining Team passed proposals to increase the number of paid holidays, implement a higher quality and more affordable Union healthcare plan, raise commission rates, improve deficit wipe-off language, and significant wage increases that recognize the skyrocketing cost of living.

Unfortunately, progress has been slow, and we haven't made substantial headway on most issues. Although we managed to get Macy's to drop their demand for the "reliability" program, they have remained firm on their other proposals, and continuing to offer a wage increase that is far less than we find acceptable. They consistently cite their financial struggles as the reason for their reluctance to meet our demands.

To break the deadlock, we have introduced "supposals" into the negotiation process. These are non-binding documents that allow both parties to share ideas without committing to them. Through this approach, we have explored potential avenues for compromise, such as considering a higher wage increase for long-term Macy's employees and reevaluating the structure of wage progressions.

While the supposal progress has shown some promise, we are still far from reaching an agreement. We believe that now is the time to take a stand and advocate for what is fair and just. Over 300 members (75% of the bargaining unit) have already signed the strike pledge card, showing their willingness to take action for a fair contract.

Negotiations will continue this week, and we hope for a breakthrough. However, if we cannot reach a agreement, we will be left with no choice but to proceed with an informational picket. We firmly believe that our collective strength will lead us to a better outcome.

Stay tuned for our next bargaining update!

Bargaining Team: Azia Domingo, Curtisy Bryant, Emily Hunter, Liisa Luick, Nicole Hardin