Vitalant’s Offensive Opening Wage Offer Prevents Further Progress in Tuesday Bargaining Session
Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement continued on Tuesday, July 9 between Teamsters Local 727 and Vitalant. Despite Vitalant’s abrupt departure from the parties’ last bargaining session, the Local 727 bargaining committee and management made progress towards reaching a fair agreement.
The parties spent a significant portion of Tuesday’s negotiations bargaining over outstanding non-economic proposals. The Union bargaining committee bundled proposals which, if agreed to, would resolve many of the remaining non-economic matters. However, the Company remained obstinate about addressing the serious economic concerns of Local 727 members.
When the parties turned their attention to economics, Vitalant presented the Union bargaining committee with an underwhelming opening wage raise offer of $0.10 per year with a proposed contract term of 3 years. The Company’s offer represents significantly less than a 1% increase in Vitalant members’ hourly wages.
“Local 727 made it clear on day one of bargaining that a top priority of these negotiations must be to ease the crippling burden of health care costs from our members’ shoulders,” said Nick Micaletti, Local 727 Business Representative for Vitalant workers. “Vitalant’s wage proposal will do nothing to offset the continuing increases to health care costs under the Company’s plan. It is insulting and demeans the hard work of our members.”
On Wednesday, July 10, Local 727 took action and distributed flyers informing the public of Vitalant’s blatant disregard for the concerns of its dedicated employees outside of the Company’s Rosemont, Illinois headquarters.
“We’ve called on the public to stand with our hardworking members and demand Vitalant cease disrespecting their employees and bargain in good faith with the Union to reach a fair agreement,” added Micaletti.
The Local 727 bargaining committee and Vitalant management have two bargaining sessions scheduled for Wednesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 18.
Members with questions should contact Local 727 Business Representative Nick Micaletti at (847) 696-7500 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.
Category: Vitalant
