[Tb-bargaining] Only movement from PA Table: Bargaining to Mediation

[Patrick Bragg]

Since the employer continues to keep silent on all of the union*s
monetary demands at the PA table, your team believes there is no option
but to ask for the intervention of a third party.

The union will now ask for the assistance of a mediator in a process
that has stagnated.

We*ve been attempting to negotiate with this employer for 19 months,
and all we have managed to achieve is a return to the same agreement we
had in the spring of 2007. In other words, the employer has dropped all
of their concessions, but there has been no movement forward.

We came to the bargaining table with a mandate from the membership to
improve a variety of articles in the collective agreement. In addition
to a decent wage increase, we are seeking various allowances for members
whose pay have fallen behind their market comparators, better vacation
leave, a new classisafication standard for the PA group and improvements
to union leave. It*s not just about a percentage increase, yet the
employer*s current offer hasn*t improved.

Moving to mediation is an intermediary step between negotiations and
hearings before a Public Interest Commission (conciliation). We hope
that having a neutral third party in the room will push the employer to
start responding to our demands and to take the needs and worth of our
members seriously.

More information on mediation dates and next steps in the process will
be posted as soon as they are confirmed. In the meantime, your team
appreciates all of the support we have been receiving from across the
country and encourages every member to let this employer know that
it*s time to get serious.

No more stalling * No more excuses * NEGOTIATE!