Clarification

Now that I have your attention I would like to clarify a misconception that some of you got out of the last posting.

Now I understand some folks were angry because they misunderstood and thought we accepted their proposal. First of all that is not how it works! That is not the message I was trying to send.

Now listen carefully this was their counter proposal to what we presented-insulting and demeaning but their counter proposal all the same. We did come back with another proposal and we will not know their response until Monday March 26th. This is how it works not unlike buying a house , a car, or going to a flea market there is haggling, but eventually you come to an agreement

The truth whether or not you can handle it is that coming out and showing your outrage at what they offered and coming out and showing support for this contract committee will send them the message that unless they come up with a proposal that WE can live with contract negotiations are not coming to an END!


You have to vote on the contract first before anything is agreed upon, but before you can vote you must fill out a "GREEN CARD"!

The ball is in your court DO YOU WANT TO SETTLE FOR 3% & 2%? I know I didn't come this far to settle for this! Again you got to ask yourself is this all you are worth? If you do not show them that this is not acceptable that is what they will keep on coming back with.

Let's come to an agreement that we can all celebrate.

There will be a membership meeting regarding this April 2nd, at 4:30, DuPage Inn, lower level-BE THERE!

The Economic Presentation

As I said March 19th the Authority was going to make their economic package, in other words their financial state. Their package contained the projected costs for Open Road Toll and the Congestion Relief Projects. They went over their anticipated costs for these projects and explained that some of their projections were off due to unexpected hikes in construction materials, gas prices, an unexpected rise in I-Pass customers after the toll hikes etc.

In short "What we are about to propose is what we can afford." They claimed that while the funding is not there for raises, they would be generous.














Well folks brace yourself for the Authority's generosity!!! Keeping in mind that it has been five years without a raise for most of us and during those five years some folks have been getting some very hefty raises all while the Authority told us there was a wage freeze! Also the cost of living, whether it be goods or services, has been going up for us as well. I think we are all in complete agreement that the Authority is better prepared to pay for the rising cost of goods and services than folks who are for the most part under paid and haven't seen a cost of living raise for five years.


With that said the Authority's generous proposal is as follows;

-a four contract
-first year 3%
-2nd year 2%
-3rd year 2%
-4th year 2%

Now if you are not feeling extremely outraged at this insult of a proposal there is something wrong with you! There is no way that management is going to sit across that table and insinuate that the Authority is too poor to fund better raises for our bargaining unit! The last contract they negotiated was for 726, who will now be contributing to their pension as everyone else is, so to offset this in the first year of their contract they would get a one time increase outside of their agreed upon yearly raises of 5.5%. This has also been addressed with M.A.P. and 73 contracts. Are we any less of employee than those folks that we should feel a 3% or a 2% is satisfactory?

All of you need to come forward and show them that you are as mad as hell and completely insulted at such a proposal and you can do that by wearing pins, bumper stickers-UNITY!! Yes unity because that is what a collective bargaining unit is all about!

Without Unity that Proposal is Exactly What you Are Going To Get!!!









You got to ask yourself do you deserve 3% & 2% at this stage of the game!!??? Is that all your worth after five years?













Now I have said time and time again the Economic portion of the contract is the toughest part, and the salary portion is the stumbling block. Once we get past this it is over folks, yes that is right we can move on!


















Come on out and show support for your contract committee!!!! The key words being "YOUR CONTRACT!"







Show management which side you are on!!!!!

There will be a membership meeting at the Dupage Inn lower level on April 2nd at 4:30-be there!!!

The End Is Near!!!!

Wake up people the end is in sight!!!

We understand your frustration with how long this has been going on, but a new contract never comes to a quick conclusion and you don't want it too. Believe me no one knows how long this has been going on better than myself. Your patience has been appreciated.



We have overcome huge obstacles in the verbiage and now we are into the economic package!

That's right CASH!

March 19th the Chief of Finance will make the Authority's economic presentation, basically the budget and where they stand on salary %s. This will be the start of their counter proposal to what we presented. I understand that even with contract renewals an economic presentation is the norm.


While celebration will be in order,fair warning, the economic package is the toughest park of the contract. Any one of you who might have been in a collective bargaining unit before or know someone who is in a union, know this is the stumbling block of the process.








Now is the time to sign that green card it gives you the ability to "Vote" on the contract after reviewing it. Don't sell yourself short on a first contract! Let us reiterate "No Dues Will Be Taken Out Until The Contract Is Finalized And Has Gone The Full Gamut!" Everyone will however pay dues regardless if they sign a card or not-get a voice for your bucks!






With that said Stewart classes will be coming up shortly I know a lot of you are anxious about taking them-myself included. Anyone interested in taking the classes please let one of us know.

Our current certified stewards have had a measurable degree of success when representing members in situations where management has not handled themselves in a professional manner!


Feel free to post comments!!!!