...But No End In Sight

As a workers strike plaguing Sikorsky Aircraft entered its fourth week, negotiators with both Teamsters Local 1150 and Sikorsky met Monday with the federal mediator and presented their revised proposals to end the current strike by members of the labor union.

Sikorsky representatives say their proposal better aligns wage increases and bonus payments with concerns previously expressed by the union. The company adds it hopes that Teamsters Local 1150 will present their proposed contract to a vote by union members.

The Teamster's response? Don't hold your breath.

Sikorsky's revised proposal includes:

• General wage increases of 4 percent, 3.5 percent, and 3 percent in each year of the three-year contract.
• A $2,500 cash bonus -- $1,000 upon ratification of the contract and $1,500 in January 2007, when the new 80/20 health care plan is implemented.
• An increase from $45 to $52 in the monthly multiplier for the pension benefits and a cash-balance pension increase from 50 to 60 cents per hour.
• An increase from $56 to $62 per week in employees' allowed 401(k) contributions -- matched by the company at 50 percent.
• 38 paid holidays over the life of the agreement plus three floating holidays.
• A voluntary severance program for up to 200 participants, providing one-week's pay per year of service, a $15,000 lump sum pay out, and one-year of company-paid medical & dental insurance.

Sikorsky says it submitted its plan after the Teamsters presented a plan of their own, which the company says would have "significantly increased" the economic costs to the company.

Union Response

As far as the Teamsters, union negotiators say they presented a good-faith, comprehensive contract proposal to the federal mediator, that was intended to serve as the basis for a fair compromise to get the 3,600 striking Sikorsky workers back to work.

Union reps add that Sikorsky rejected their proposal almost immediately, opting instead to respond with a "warmed-over version of the company's original proposal." That's the one that Teamsters overwhelmingly rejected in favor of the strike.

Teamsters representatives tell ANN that Sikorsky's proposal failed to address the reason its workers are on strike -- their health care benefits are being slashed.

FMI: www.sikorsky.com, www.teamsters1150.org