Two bargaining sessions have been held. The first was in November. Only non-economic items were discussed. Several issues were resolved at that meeting, but the company would not address any of the union's economic proposals. The company said their negotiators were too busy to meet again in November or in December.

The parties met again in January. Jim Smith, Senior Director of Labor Relations, led the company delegation. The others on the company committee were Cathy Gerdes and Brandy Smith of Labor Relations, Greg Pena of Finance, Rex Kemp of Scheduling and Driver Planning, Brian Sauer of Maintenance, Brian Balogh of Customer Service, and Ellen Dwyer of the Washington, DC law firm Crowell & Morning. The union's executive board was joined by ATU International Vice President Larry Hanley and International Representative Gary Maurer. Peter Cinquemani, a mediator with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, attended the second week of the January negotiations.

The union presented its contract demands. A considerable amount of time was spent discussing subcontracting provisions and a company proposal that would have allowed the company to designate certain work as bilingual.

The company made wage proposals that were unacceptable. The union will not agree to substandard pay increases.

The union and the company have now agreed to an extension of the current contract until February 14. We will meet again beginning on February 11.