The Unity Negotiations Team kind of met with Joe Rossi in the Board room on October 10. Representing the Team were Michelle Bevan, Phil Cragg, Renee DeAngleo, Nick Ganaway, Dennis Huey, Dom Nigro, Ellen Parker, Will Parsons, Marsha Patrick, Heather Peterson, Jim Sacchinelli, John Stratton, Jim Taggart, Jim Usilton, and Penny Wells. We started out with the Faculty contract. At 1:45 Joe Rossi called John Stratton and Dom Nigro into his office to counter the faculty proposal. John had to leave for a 2:00 class. About 4:30 I went in with Dom to counter Joe’s position. I had to leave at five to teach in Cape May. People come and go at these meetings. For instance Jim Sacchinelli came in late because of another meeting and Jim Taggart left and returned after class. Dennis Huey came in late after class. Phil Craig and Jim Usilton were scheduled to appear about 5:30 when Marsha Patrick had to leave. John Stratton came back as I was leaving. The reason I said “kind of met” is because by 5:00 Joe had not entered the Board Room. He was negotiating today in his office. He may feel uncomfortable being the only person on his side with fifteen people on the other side.

There was a tiny amount of progress today, but besides money and benifits some sticking points are proposed changes suggested by Joe, not by us. He wants employees to work anywhere, at any time with no additional compensation. “Management needs that flexibility.” Joe will not talk seriously about money until the language issues are settled. If money is settled first, no one wants to talk about the other issues.

Joe says he is being pushed by Pete Mora to speed things up. Pete wants us to meet twice a week. Joe did not say that Joe wants to meet twice a week. We agreed to meet earlier next Tuesday at 12:00. I keep looking for clues that Joe is anxious to settle, but so far I have seen none. He could speed things up by pushing some of his proposed changes off the table. It still may take us a while to settle so we need to continue with job actions. Will Parsons, United Negotiations Team Coordinator