Based on bargaining today and what we’ve seen before, the employer continues to demonstrate little interest in reaching agreement by the time the contract extension expires next Monday, March 9^th.

We received a proposal on retirement and retiree health care but not a full economic package. The proposal would eliminate retiree health care for both employees and dependents. Instead, the proposal would substitute a flat payment of $200 per month after 15 years of service and $400 per month after 20 years of service. They insist that we have no choice but to enter the SEIU retirement system. With the amount of detail that needs to be negotiated for any pension change, we see no way we can reach an agreement by March 9th. We are sending the proposal to the UAW attorneys and actuaries in Detroit and Chicago for their analysis and advice.

We will hold meetings in Sacramento and in Southern California on the retirement issue. In advance of those meetings, we will send out information comparing the CSEA and SEIU pensions and will provide you the specific dates, times, and locations of the meetings.

The employer also made proposals on the Union Representative and on the Political/Community Organizer classifications in Local 1000. Because we have to negotiate classifications particular to Local 1000 and others particular to CSEA, we agreed to discuss them at two side tables, which will be held Wednesday and Friday respectively.

Here is a petition to management demanding that they negotiate with us productively, so we can reach an agreement. Circulate it among your fellow UAW members, and return them in person or via fax, at 916-552-5505, to Bill Schult by 5 pm Thursday. If you fax, include a cover letter to make sure we get the petitions. We will present them to management at a future job action, which you will be informed about through the Job Action Committee.

Bargaining resumes Sunday, March 8^th.

In solidarity,
UAW 2350 Bargaining Team -

Filed under: Bargaining Updates