April 11, 2018 Dear Gary Pruitt and Sally Buzbee: Unsatisfied by HR’s emailed updates on contract talks that gloss over the awful details of Management’s proposals, we have considered their real impact. AP employees have seen their compensation fall in real terms for years as inflation outpaced insignificant pay raises, but Management’s offer of no increase at all, followed by 1.5 percent raises, ignores that again as inflation accelerates. We have agreed to absorb more health care costs, but Management’s proposed 60 percent increase in premiums adds an additional $9,468 for a married worker trying to contain costs with the premium plan, on top of thousands more in co-pays, deductibles, annual maximums and drug costs. The proposal will drive more employees from the AP. Management’s proposal to deny premium overtime to employees covering many overseas sporting events ignores the long hours of work involved. AP’s demanding to pay less to employees covering overseas military assignments and maneuvers coverage is sad. Management’s proposal to eliminate payments for actual job-related promotional transfer expenses will continue to push out the company’s most talented people. Management’s job security proposal vastly limits employee security when staff reductions occur. Employees could not move into a job outside their assigned “organizational units,” even when qualified to do other work. Management offers little commitment to the training necessary to adapt our current workforce to changing needs. It undermines job security and limits current staff from performing a wider range of duties that will serve AP. Management is proposing no retroactive wage increase while drawing out negotiations with its egregious proposals. Our proposal for reasonable pay increases each year and a cost of living clause to keep up with future inflation and increased medical costs is reasonable. Many, if not most, employees view the AP proposal as a significant compensation cutting effort that will adversely affect employee morale and their standard of living. We are the AP. We want the AP to survive and thrive. Defeatist and misguided Management proposals that hollow out the company do not serve the best interests of AP’s members and our not-for-profit cooperative. We urge AP to promptly abandon its destructive proposals so that an agreement can be reached. 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