CDT Attacks Daily Guarantee, Union Continues Fight for Fair Policies and Due Process at Latest Bargaining Session

Teamsters Local 727 and representatives of Cook DuPage Transportation, Inc., a subsidiary of National Express, continued negotiations for a successor collective bargaining agreement on Tuesday, November 5 and Wednesday, November 6.  While the Union bargaining committee arrived to the parties’ latest meetings prepared and willing to bargaining in good faith over the critical issues currently facing CDT workers, the Company yet again arrived with only offensive contract proposals.

CDT management opened the parties’ Tuesday bargaining session by presenting the Union with a proposal to slash employees’ current daily guaranteed pay by 25% or more.  The Company is proposing to reduce the daily guarantee for all CDT members to only six hours, regardless of whether the employee is normally scheduled for an eight or ten-hour shift.  The Local 727 bargaining committee immediately and in no uncertain terms rejected CDT’s proposal.

“Our hardworking Brothers and Sisters deserve stability and a paycheck they can count on.  This attack on the daily guarantee is unacceptable,” said John Coli, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727.  “Our members fought hard during our last contract negotiations to secure the eight-hour guarantee.  The Local 727 bargaining committee will not stand quietly by while CDT attempts to get rid of it.”

In addition to fighting against CDT’s outrageous attempt to cut down employees’ daily guarantee, the Local 727 bargaining committee also continued to press for an improved, fair attendance policy and new contract language that will ensure employees involved in allegedly preventable accidents receive due process.

While the Union will continue to fight for stronger job protections for all CDT members when the parties resume negotiations tomorrow, Wednesday, November 13, the Local 727 bargaining committee has also demanded that CDT management arrive to the meeting prepared to begin bargaining over health care.

“The transportation industry as a whole is struggling right now to find and retain qualified employees.  In recent contracts, First Transit and MV Transportation have raised wages and taken steps to improve their health care offerings in order to increase employee retention.  The Local 727 bargaining committee expects CDT to arrive with a similarly respectful offer that takes into account the important, vital contributions our members make,” added Coli.

Local 727 will continue to keep members updated on the progress of negotiations.

Members with questions should contact Local 727 Business Representative Donnie Von Moore at (773) 403-1032 or [email protected].

Nothing in this article should be read as the union’s waiver of any legal argument, position or grievance(s), or as a waiver of any rights, arguments, or defenses under any contract, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable law. The union does not forfeit its right to make any and all supplemental arguments.

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