GWA Bargaining Update #1
On November 2, the Union finished our first full-day session of bargaining. The Company refused to bargain during the day unless the Union paid for the missed time of workers, which it gladly did in order to attempt to get the Company to bargain in good faith.
The Company refused to respond to the demand made October 3, verified October 4, and made again in bargaining today, that the Company honor all outstanding bargaining unit employee requests for remote work to be made permanent. They indicated only that they would not respond today, when repeatedly reminded that other non-Union employees had their permanent requests honored. A copy of the demand is available from the Bargaining Committee.
The Union reminded the Company that restoration of the status quo, as required by law, including payment of the missed wage increase for bargaining unit employees should happen immediately. The Company did not respond.
The Union proposed that during the term of the contract, the Company could not make any changes that disadvantage employees in any way. The Company said it did not accept the proposal.
The Union proposed the protection for employees who require reproductive health care and services, in light of the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The Company, tone-deaf to the critical nature of this proposal, deferred any discussion.
The Union proposed remote work options be guaranteed contractually. The Company did not engage in a discussion and simply said it “deferred” until later in bargaining.
The Union proposed an immediate 10% wage increase, effective today for bargaining unit employees and, nationwide, for all QA Testers. The Company did not respond.
Without explanation, the Company denied the “responsible union-Company relationship” proposal.
The Union presented proposals regarding job definition and job structure, including pay for performance of leadership duties, and codified FTE status. The Company did not reply.
The Company stuck to its outlandish Management Rights proposal that would, among many other things, allow them to outsource our jobs to third-party contractors, unilaterally change our hours of work, or slash our department once again (which is the reason we unionized in the first place).
The contract is being negotiated to benefit employees and protect our wages, terms and conditions of employment. Without explanation, the Company proposed today a Grievance and Arbitration Proposal that would allow its own filing of grievances against the Union. The Union presented its own Grievance and Arbitration Proposal, to which the Company did not respond.
The Union also proposed a Neutrality and Card Check Proposal, so that employees nationwide could share the benefits achieved through unionization without coercion, restraint, and delay.
The Union also put the Company on notice that it would negotiate further regarding the Company’s abysmal record of sex and gender discrimination, by requesting relevant and necessary information to quantify the extent of the ongoing problem.
Importantly, the NLRB recently found merit to our unfair labor practice charge alleging ABK illegally withheld raises from organized workers and, without a settlement, will prosecute the company for withholding them.
Although the Company’s continued intransigence is unwelcome at the bargaining table, the Bargaining Committee is confident that through our continued solidarity, mobilization, bargaining, as well as the Company’s illegal bargaining posture, we will prevail. The Union will continue its efforts at the bargaining table, but can’t succeed without your continued input and support. Please reach out to any of us on the Bargaining Committee, if you want additional information or have questions.