Our bargaining session this week was devoted to two issues: the attendance policy and the coming 3-week shut down of the OSK for repairs.
Discussion over the attendance policy
The Union bargaining committee made it clear to management that the attendance policy must change as soon as possible. No one should have to choose between working sick or losing their job. There are too many employees with significant numbers of points for things like punching in one minute late or staying home with the stomach flu. At this rate, according to management’s own numbers, almost half of the co-op’s hourly employees would be fired over the next 10 months.
The union gave management the first proposal. Elements of our proposal are:
- A grace period of 7 minutes
- No penalty for absences caused by circumstances beyond your control (such as being sick)
- No penalty when taking discretionary time
- A substantial increase in discretionary time
- Leaving early without manager permission wouldn’t be disciplined under the attendance policy, however employees could be disciplined when showing a pattern of leaving early
- Call-in to the MODs, not the call-in service
- A much more realistic disciplinary schedule for attendance issues.
Management then made a counter-proposal. Elements of their counter-proposal included:
- A grace period of 3 minutes,
- Replacing discretionary time with an annual “Sick Benefit” of:
- 80 hours for employees working 40 hours per week
- 56 hours for employees working 30 to 39 hours per week
- 40 hours for employees working 24-29 hours per week
- 24 hours for employees working less than 24 hours per week.
- 3 no call/no shows (or 2 in a row) would subject an employee to termination
- Employees who display a pattern of leaving early without manager permission would be subject to discipline
- 5 levels of discipline, ending in termination
- After 60 days without an attendance violation, you would revert back to the prior disciplinary stage. After 1 year a discipline would be removed from your record regardless of whether your attendance is perfect.
- They are also proposing a scheme where you could “buy back” attendance violations using extra Sick Benefit hours once per year.
This is the beginning of a real conversation about a better attendance policy, and it’s important to understand that these are beginning proposals. While the union has significant concerns with management’s proposal, we intend to work to find an equitable solution to this issue. Our membership has made it clear that any solution must include a grace period, greater flexibility when an employee is late or unable to attend work due to circumstances outside of their control (such as sickness), no penalty for using your paid discretionary time, and a more realistic disciplinary schedule for attendance issues.
Discussion over the OSK shut-down
Starting January 20, 2020, the OSK will be shutting down for three weeks for much-needed repairs. The union is working to minimize the impact of this shut-down on employees. Management has agreed to ensure that work is available in stores for OSK employees and to allow a limited number of voluntary layoffs. We are still discussing issues such as the locations of this available work and the exact nature of the jobs to be performed during this three-week period. If you work in the OSK, please speak with your bargaining representative (Mike Tomaloff) for more details on this.
Present for bargaining
Those representing the union this week were: Patrick McCauley, Korey Peterson, Angelica Engel, Demi Brock-Montgomery, Mike Tomaloff, Thayer Reed and David Droster. In addition, Jacob Kelly from the Communications Committee and Dar Meis, a new steward from North, attended as observers. UE staff Mark Meinster and John Ocampo attended as well.
Representing management were Greg Leifer (the Co-op’s lead negotiator), Brian Wolhaupter (HR Director), Jenny Skowronek, Lindsey Hardy, Kristen Esselstrom, Katherine Kornely and Kelly Kemp.
Our next bargaining session will be January 7.