Update from the Bargaining Table

Foxwoods Beverage Negotiation Update

April 17, 2012

 

Local 371 UFCW

Union Bargaining Update

It has been a busy nine months since we were together for our contract proposal meeting.  We have been having regular bargaining sessions with management, and your bargaining committee has been working hard to fight for your interests.  We have reached a tentative agreement on 33 articles out of 55 different union proposals.  The remaining 22 proposals have been discussed at length, and we are nearing agreement on many of those.  There are a few Articles, however, where we still remain very far apart from management.  Some of those articles are listed below with the parties’ current proposals. 

 

 

 

 

 

FOXWOODS PROPOSALS

 

 

UNION PROPOSALS

Appearance Standards regarding footwear

 

Must follow Foxwoods shoe policy, subject to change.  Medical notes are only good for one year.  After one year, employees may resign their position if they cannot meet footwear requirement. 

Shoes must be professional looking, black, closed, polishable leather type, with no heel height requirement.

Rotation of Beverage Servers

Each Beverage Server’s schedule may include a rotation through all areas of the casino floor(i.e. Slots, Table Games, Poker)

The Beverage Servers will decide if a rotation is desired by a majority vote after the contract ratification.

Wages

General Wage Increases

Effective:                Per Hour

4/1/12:                    $0.20

4/1/13:                    $0.15

4/1/14:                    $0.15 (only if slot revenue increases by 5%)

General Wage Increases

Effective:             Per Hour

4/1/12:                 $1.25

4/1/13:                 $1.25

4/1/14:                 $1.25

Retirement/Pension

401 (k) with no guarantee of employer match.

“No” to Union Pension

Maintain current 401 (k) plan

Members will also receive a guaranteed Pension from the UFCW Pension Plan.

Health, Prescription, and Vision Insurance

 

Increases every six months. 

By January 1, 2014:

Single :      $25

Single +1: $49

Family:     $69

Maintain the current weekly employee contributions:

Single:      $15

Single +1: $24

Family:      $25
Our next scheduled bargaining sessions are April 24th and April 25th.  We have proposed numerous dates in the month of May and we have strongly suggested that the company confirm these dates as soon as possible.  While it may seem this process has gone on too long, there are some benefits to our ongoing negotiations.  Effective 1/1/12, insurance premiums increased for all non union employees.  Beverage department employees did not pay that increase.  Without a union, the company can change your benefits at any time. 

Please take the opportunity to thank your bargaining committee members.  They are doing an excellent job fighting for your interests in very difficult and frustrating bargaining sessions.  They will need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead.  This has been a long process, but we anticipate that this contract will be settled by summer.  This is a critical time, where unity is extremely important.  On behalf of the committee, we wish to thank you for your ongoing support.  Please feel free to contact the Local 371 office at (203) 226-4751 with any questions.