PHILLY.COM TENTATIVE AGREEMENT MEANS NOTHING WITHOUT HEALTHCARE
To clarify the note sent out by Human Resources VP Keith Black this morning, the tentative agreements reached yesterday on the Philly.com contract were certainly the first sign of progress in months, but until the Company deals meaningfully with healthcare and changes its view on seniority, we still have a long way to go and only a few scheduled mediation sessions to get it done. The contract expires June 27.
As Philly.com members are part of the singular Health & Welfare fund co-managed by the Guild and the Company, with the Company’s current contribution and the additional $500,000 they’ve offered at the table, the shortfall of over $2 million will still leave Philly.com members (and all main unit members) with massive increases to their healthcare costs. As some of our Philly.com members are among the lower-paid, the burden on them will be especially onerous.
We return to the bargaining table Monday at 8 a.m. with a sincere desire that the Company will be prepared to acknowledge the elephant in the room and deal with it.
In solidarity,
Howard Gensler
Bill Ross
Diane Mastrull
Cindy Burton
Melanie Burney
Regina Medina
Brian McCrone
