CWA/Apple Retail Bargaining Report #18 Penn Square Location, Oklahoma City, OK

CWA/Apple Bargaining team met today for day two of our two day session for February. 

We began the day by passing counter proposals on severance pay & management’s rights. After about an hour and a half of being in our side caucuses, the Company came back and TA’d our counter proposals for both! 

Starting with the severance pay proposal we were able to ensure if any full-time or part-time employee is laid off, they will be compensated at least 4 weeks of pay, and additional weeks for each year of tenure up to 12 weeks. The Company would also pay all Cobra premiums (health care) for an additional 3 full months after the termination date. This was a huge win in case the store was ever to downsize or close. 

In regards to management rights, we got language added that will require the Company to give the Union notice before adopting or changing any rule, policy, or practice that would have a significant impact upon one or more members in the bargaining unit. If the adoption of change in rule, policy, or practice goes beyond what we agreed to, we can demand effects bargaining over such change. This was what’s called a package proposal so we were also able to obtain dues deduction for Union dues, as well as full recognition of the Union in the CBA. 

We received the Company’s counter proposal for scheduling and it was basically the current process spelled out in the proposal. Your bargaining team did an excellent job of explaining the ongoing issues and schedules not being consistent and how it’s not working. At the end of the discussion, the Company agreed to look at different employees scheduling preferences to try and figure out what the issue is. The bargaining team will be submitting names of people who they are aware are having major schedule issues. The Company also agreed to bring back their scheduling specialist next session to address the scheduling concerns.

We ended the day agreeing to TA the discipline and discharge proposal. Most of the stuff listed is common sense policies for severe violations of Company policies such as theft, violence, destroying Company property, sharing Company trade secrets, etc.

So all together we secured seven new TA’s in the last two days. We will be focusing on scheduling the next session as well as closing the gap on anything additional before we hit the financial items in April. 

We made great progress these last two days and will be right back in less than two weeks on March 5 & 6th. Keep doing what you're doing with mobilizing in the store! 

In Unity and Solidarity,

CWA/Apple Bargaining Team

Kirsten Matson, Technical Expert
Kevin Romo Velasco, Specialist
Darren Griffis, Business Expert
Michael Forsythe, Genius Admin
Jay Albertson, President Emeritus CWA 6016
Billy Moffett, CWA District 6 Assistant to the Vice-President

BM/ss
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