Solidarity Center Bargainers Expect to Wrap Up Talks Sept. 30

The two-dozen member Guild unit at the Solidarity Center has finished its second day of negotiations over a successor collective bargaining agreement to the three-year deal that expired Sept. 25.

“Overall, the negotiations are going pretty smoothly,” said Solidarity Center Unit Chair Rob Pajkovski. “We settled most of our non-economic proposals.”

Pajkovski said that the talks soon could be completed. “Friday we will begin to bargain over wages and a few other issues. We expect to finish by the end of the day.”

Other members of the Guild bargaining committee are David Welsh, Geoff Herzog, Hind Cherrouk, Jana Silverman, Laurie Clements, Tristan Masat, Rick Hall, and WBNG Executive Director Cet Parks.

Launched by the AFL-CIO in 1997, the nonprofit organization assists workers around the world who are attempting to build democratic and independent trade unions. Funding is provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the departments of State and Labor, private foundations, and national and international labor organizations.

WBNG has been representing approximately two dozen Solidarity Center workers – many of whom are stationed outside the United States – since 2002.

The Solidarity Center’s Guild bargaining team gathered in Washington just before talks began.