From left to right: Dixie Zavala, Cheryl Taylor, Debbie Rian, Terri Siddoway
While three alliance employers have reached tentative agreements, the results of Avalon’s last two bargaining sessions have not been successful. Our bargaining team met on October 17th and 18th in hopes of having productive conversations around wages and healthcare. We feel very disappointed by Avalon’s proposals and are not making the progress on key issues we were hoping for.
Here is what was proposed:
Economic Package on Healthcare and Wages: We went into bargaining hopeful to have productive conversations about our economic proposals that would increase wages and maintain our health insurance premiums at current rates.
Unfortunately, while other companies have found creative solutions to budget issues, Avalon has taken a different position. They have proposed using money from our wage pot to cover their healthcare losses that were bargained four years ago. Avalon also proposed moving to a different wage scale that would have long-term employees only seeing yearly cost of living increases and not the $0.35 yearly step increase unless they were having their 15, 18, 20 or 25 years of service anniversary.
This is unacceptable! Why should Avalon workers have to pay for a risk the company took four years ago?OFFER REJECTED! We will not be disrespected. We will fight for wages and healthcare and the dignity and respect we deserve.
Our next bargaining sessions are November 2, 8 and 9. We are asking every worker to stand up and organize! Stay tuned for upcoming actions at each facility in the next couple of weeks before we go back into bargaining. Please continue to WEAR PURPLE ON BARGAINING DATES to support your bargaining team.
Together,
Your SEIU 503 Avalon Bargaining Team
“This is a disappointing proposal that we have to take back to our co-workers. We are being asked to pay for past practices they made four years ago and they are putting it on the backs of workers. It’s unfair.”
-Terri Siddoway, Green Valley & Cheryl Taylor, Highland House