Your bargaining team continues to work to secure the best possible tentative agreement to bring back to members for a vote. As we all know, bargaining with Hallcon is difficult, but we have started to see things moving in a slightly more positive direction. We are still not close to a settlement, however. Here’s where things stand.
The last week of August had 3 days of bargaining for Hallcon and the Union. Our bargaining only got so far, with the Company being opposed to the Union allowing the contract to expire on September 1st, 2022. The Union took the position that we, the Company and Union, had a duty to get the bargaining done before the expiration. We left bargaining prepared for a vote on the contract offer and ready to ask members to authorize a 3-day strike that would begin Friday, September 16th, through September 19th.
Then, over the Labor Day weekend, the Company began to put more money on the table. The UE Bargaining Committee decided that it had the responsibility to continue to bargain, so we engaged the Employer’s request.
Yesterday, Hallcon and UE met in bargaining. The Union gave the Company a counteroffer because the Company had moved in the wages for many locations up to $1.00/hour increase or more in the first year and they responded with 2% and 2% for years 2 and 3.
Hallcon officials committed that they would give substantially more days to bargain if the Union granted the extension and that they were working on ways to go to their rail clients to pay for higher contracts with Hallcon, they just needed time. The Union Bargaining Committee discussed in caucus and agreed to grant Hallcon’s request for an extension through 11:59 pm, Friday, September 23rd, 2022.
Hallcon and UE have agreed to go back to the table next Monday, September 12th, 2022. The UE Bargaining committee decided to wait until after Monday the 12th to set Town Hall meetings with the members because things were changing so quickly.
The UE Bargaining Committee is asking for members to keep the pressure on. We’ve only gotten this far because we’ve shown Hallcon and the railroad that drivers are willing to take action to win the wage increases we deserve. Your bargaining committee will keep working until we get a proposal that is worthy of your acceptance.