On Thursday, May 8 at 12:00 Noon, MEF members packed into the pews of First Christian Church at 80 South Fifth Street to hear an update about contract negotiations.  It was an overflow crowd!  Afterwards MEF members shared a pizza lunch together in the church's fellowship hall.  Thanks to Tony and Alba's Pizza. 

 

Since April, the Negotiation Team has been meeting with Management.  Initially, talks centered on the negotiation process and general guide lines for negotiations.  The once a week meetings moved to twice a week negotiation sessions.  Tentative agreements were reached on house keeping issues such as the clean-up of basic contract language.  

 

By Friday, May 16 all the Union and management issues were on the table.  Both sides began passing specific proposals to each other and making counter offers on the major economic issues including wages, and healthcare.  By Thursday, June 12 the Union and Management had traded numerous packages for a tentative agreement, but were unable to reach a conclusion to negotiations before the Sunshine ordinance deadline for City Council to approve a new contract.  The union team continued to meet with management during all day negotiation sessions. 

 

During the last few weeks of June, MEF negotiators asked to meet with members during several hastily called work site meetings. These meetings proved to be extremely valuable.  Members were able to voice their opinions on the key negotiation issues, and they helped create a bottom line position and strengthened the negotiators resolve to stand strong at the table.

 

On June 30, the expiration date of the contract, a hundred Union members wearing green t-shirts gathered at the City Hall bamboo garden.  We moved to the First Christian Church to here that Union negotiators still had not reached an agreement on a new contract.  A fair cost of living increase, payment of overtime, and sick leave payout upon retirement were the three sticking points.  Members made their opinions know loud an clear to the negotiators,  "Stand strong!!" 

 

The negotiation team went back into bargaining sessions that continued until 10 PM.  Sick leave payout and overtime were finally taken off the table and the union was able to reach the best deal possible on wages.  A tentative agreement was reached.  The agreement must now be ratified by the members during work site balloting.