These key issues were rated by importance:
1. Sustainable Pension + Healthcare - New funding stream to sustain the plans long term - PRIMARY New Media Residuals utilizing a well-researched and thorough formula.
2. Annual Scale Wage Increase - Yearly 6% raise to keep up with inflation and cost of living.
3. Turnaround - 12 hour turnarounds for a healthy work-life balance (with OT for those who wish to work longer).
4. Meal Penalties - Double meal penalty values, to come in line with current inflation (first penalty would be $15, second would be $25, etc).
5. Livable Wage for Lowest-Paid Classifications - Improved minimum wages with a minimum workweek of 40 hours.
6. OT - No more "8th day reset" reverting back to straight pay after working 7 days.
7. No more "On Call" Classifications across all locals - all become hourly.
Members were asked to specify which of these issues were a deal breaker if not addressed.
In most previous cycles, negotiations consisted of the local-specific phase, where each local negotiated issues pertaining to the its specific classifications, and then the Basic Agreement phase, where all the locals negotiate general work conditions together. This time, local negotiations were skipped and we only had the Basic Agreement negotiations over general work conditions.
Members could choose:
Yes, next cycle should be just the general working conditions.
No, next cycle should also include individual local level negotiations.
I'd like to alternate, so that every other cycle is a united one without local level negotiations