After a marathon negotiation session, the Local 710 Bargaining Committee for Southern Wine and Spirits achieved significant movement towards a tentative agreement.

The Committee met for 12 hours Wednesday after reviewing the employer’s latest proposal with the membership for the past week. The Committee began the negotiation session by rejecting nearly all management proposals and resubmitting language as initially presented, with adjustments and revisions to clarify issues. After movement on both sides, the committee reached the following points as part of a tentative agreement:

• Improved lunch and rest break language
• Improved dock check-in language
• Optimum load language improvements
• Discontinue report cards except for coaching
• Timely notification of discipline
• Stricter helper qualifications and training
• Improved subcontracting language
• Improved downstate bid issues
• Maintained current level of open bids
• Improved language regarding geographic routes and time between stops
• Vastly expanded Labor Management Committee with increased responsibility

Management withdrew the following proposals:

• Management withdrew stricter qualification for holiday pay
• Management withdrew decreased short vacation years
• Management withdrew drug and alcohol rules
• Management withdrew proposal to increase fixed routes

Items still outstanding are as follows:

• Time to complete check-out
• Bridging significant financial disparity between downstate and Bolingbrook wages
• Case-count / incentive
• Medical card light duty
• Term of agreement

The bargaining committee will meet again on August 20 to discuss the remaining issues. Any outstanding questions may be directed to any member of the bargaining committee or Business Agent Bernie Sherlock at (773) 254-3200.

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