Local 727 Bargaining Committee, Osco Management Set to Begin Mediation
The Teamsters Local 727 Bargaining Committee and Osco management will enter federal mediation Wednesday, May 18, after the company agreed to the union’s offer to extend the contract covering about 500 Chicago-area pharmacists until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 20.
The sides are also scheduled to meet with the mediator on May 20.
During the last negotiation meeting on April 29, the Local 727 Bargaining Committee made major movement in an effort to reach a fair agreement, but Osco management did not respond in kind.
“We are hopeful that mediation will help us reach a fair agreement, because frankly, the company’s lack of movement at our last meeting was beyond disappointing,” said John T. Coli, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 727.
The Local 727 Bargaining Committee proposed the same 401(k) contributions and health and welfare rates, premiums and overall health care language protections as outlined in the newly negotiated contract for Jewel-Osco warehouse and transportation workers represented by Teamsters Local 710. The company not only rejected the union’s proposal, but Osco management did not present any specific proposals on health care rates, premiums or coverage plans.
The Local 727 Bargaining Committee is still standing strong on a number of other proposals relating to tech hours/overlap, floaters’ geographic restrictions and part-timer working hours and seniority.
The contract extension includes full retroactivity to May 7, the contract’s original expiration date.
Local 727 will continue to update Osco members throughout the mediation process.
If you have questions, contact your Local 727 business representative, Zach Frankenbach, at (847) 696-7500 or [email protected].
