The September membership meeting will not take place due to the Labor Day holiday.  The next general membership meeting will be Monday, October 4, 2021.

Local 277 has successfully negotiated and the renewal of the COVID-19 and Situational Telecommuting Agreement through October 24, 2021. Below you will find the original bargaining demand from April 2020 along with the Company’s backdated original agreement and subsequent extensions.

• Telecommuting Memo
• COVID Request to Bargain
• OPEIU MOU
• extension dated 6/22
• extension dated 9/24
• extension dated 12/9
• extension dated 1/25
• extension dated 8/2

The Local 277 bargaining team agreed to terms on a new 3-year agreement securing substantial improvements for the Marketing Specialists working for AIL and NILICO.  Highlights include general wage increases in each year of the contract, no increases to health insurance costs, and a nearly 20% increase to the pension multiplier over the life of the contract.  Improvements were also made to minimum compensation, reimbursements, lead credits for both originals and renewals, holiday bonuses, group life insurance coverage, and the Joint Management and Labor scholarship.   The bargaining team included DeAundra Cephus, Tim O’Connor, David Scalisi, and Tyler Turner.

In a historic vote held Monday, June 28, 2021, the members of Local 277 working for the AIL Home Office in Waco, Texas, overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year agreement.  The bargaining committee secured record general wage increases in each year, no increase to employee insurance costs, and a nearly 20% increase to the pension multiplier over the life of the agreement.  The committee also bargained substantial improvements to shift differentials, bilingual pay, promotion increases, overtime accruals, and the holiday bonus.  Perhaps the most significant non-economic item the union was able to bargain was work-life balance.  Employees may now choose from three different weekly work schedules that best fit their needs and telecommute, where the classification allows.  The Local 277 bargaining committee included DeAundra Cephus, Debbie Engelke, Terry Harrison, LaShun Hawkins, Dave Jones, Tonia Stonum, and Tyler Turner.

The Local 277 bargaining team agreed to terms on a new 3-year agreement covering the Agents and Public Relations Representatives contracted with American Income Life and National Income Life.  Improvements include increases to additional commissions for insurance, increases in group term life coverage, and added flexibility for leaves of absence.  Public Relations Representatives covered under the agreement also won increases to lead credits, lump-sum amounts upon retirement, and percentage matching for retirement savings.   PR Reps also gained additional opportunities to qualify for different contract levels and additional insurance commissions.  The negotiations team included Laurie Gruber (PR Rep for AIL), David Watkins (Agent for NILICO), and Tyler Turner (Business Manager for OPEIU Local 277).

Members covered under this agreement will receive a copy of the new collective bargaining agreement accompanied by a summary of changes once the final versions are proofed and printed.