Dynegy/IPH Negotiations Update

On June 1-2, Local 51 and Dynegy/IPH continued bargaining.  On Monday the Local 51 committee made a comprehensive proposal to the Company.  Tuesday morning the Company provided a counter proposal and we countered that proposal yesterday afternoon.  Both sides continue to make movement.  We have reached a tentative agreement on various proposals.

There are significant issues we have not reached an agreement on including the Company’s proposal to reduce VLO time from 32 hours to 16 hours, a Company proposal to reduce sick leave pay, severance plan improvements, wage adjustments, percentage wage increases, the Company proposed medical plan, the Company proposed retirement plan, a Company proposal to severely limit retiree medical eligibility, and a Company proposal to drastically change our seniority provisions for layoffs and bumping rights.  We also informed the Company that our retirees must be included in the same medical premium cost trending pool used to set the annual monthly medical premium amounts for the active employees.

Some of the items we have reached a tentative agreement on are length of contract (5 years), new 10 day strike/lockout notice language, shift differential and shift premium increases, an improvement to Apprentice Operator wage steps, a 10-hour rest period for maintenance employees, “midpoint” overtime with an applicable rest period clause for maintenance employees, inclusion of all employees from mandatory overtime on weekends or regular days off prior to and at the end of vacation blocks, allowances for safety shoes and glasses, improved bereavement leave, new job bidding and transfer language, shift operators and coal operators training language, past practice language, a process for including the Company substance abuse policy in the contract at a later date, elimination of deer and mushroom hunting at Duck Creek, changing the Relief Operator title to Senior Relief Operator in the Duck Creek wage table, adding the Junior Relief Operator title identical to Edwards to the Duck Creek wage table, adding the Senior Utility title identical to Edwards to the Duck Creek wage table, and language requiring a drug test if an employee has been absent for greater than 30 calendar days. 

Although we have reached tentative agreements on many proposals, significant issues remain.  We are scheduled to meet again on June 11-12.  Thank you for your support, work safe, and keep the faith out there!

Your committee, Troy Hackman, Emmanuel Reed, Jerry Eakle, Doug Freres, Tony Robertson, Ralph Stone, Tom Pinkham, John Johnson