GMCS Editorial: Announcing the words “Final Offer” at the table,
or in the press, often establishes a position that is hard to move forward
from. It clearly projects one side’s ”final”
position and publically establishes
their BATNA; that is, Best Alternative
to a Negotiated Agreement. These positional
statements either force labor to strike the employer or the employer to lock
out the employees until an agreement is reached.
As is the case in
every negotiation that I have ever participated in within the Philadelphia
region, the “Final Offer” made, and they are made at almost every negotiation
at some point, is not what is eventually agreed upon by both labor and management;
the very use of those words beyond the negotiating table often only serves to
undermine the process of establishing a mutually acceptable agreement and moving
forward with a ratification vote. I’m
saddened to see that SEPTA has chosen to publicize their current position and
BATNA. We wish both labor and management
the best as we must move in the direction of a mutually acceptable agreement.
SEPTA officials waited Monday for a union response to the
transit agency's "final offer" in labor negotiations aimed at
avoiding a strike by bus and subway workers.
No talks were scheduled. But a strike did not appear
imminent, either, as no strike-authorization vote has been called by leaders of
Transport Workers Union Local 234.
The last of four contracts for about 5,500 city and suburban
bus, subway and other non-railroad workers expired Sunday, raising the prospect
of the first strike against SEPTA since 2009.
The two sides appear much closer to a settlement than they
did a week ago, and SEPTA spokeswoman Jerri Williams characterized SEPTA's
proposal on Sunday night as its "final offer."
SEPTA is now offering a two-year contract with wage hikes of
2 percent the first year and 3 percent in the second year. Workers would have
to spend an additional 1 percent of their wages on health care premiums under
the proposal.
SEPTA has withdrawn its proposal to change the union's
pension plan to require new hires be placed in a separate plan that would be
funded by the employees, with a contribution from SEPTA.
"We remain committed to good faith negotiations with
the union for a contract, and we hope the union will return to the bargaining
table to resume discussions over a longer-term agreement," Williams said.
Union leaders are seeking more demographic data from SEPTA
officials about those employees affected by the proposed pension and
health-insurance terms, union spokesman Jamie Horwitz said Monday.
"'Final' is a troublesome word," Horwitz said
Monday. "We're still of the impression that there is a lot more to work
out."
"We feel like we're fighting with one arm tied behid
our back, without that information," Horwitz said.
Source: Philly.com
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