IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT JOHN T. NICCOLLAI MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2026

ACME CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

President John T. Niccollai reported today that contract negotiations scheduled for Tuesday, January 27, 2026, have been canceled because the company refuses to modify or remove their demand that members must co-pay for healthcare benefits.

President Niccollai stated, “We will not participate in a meeting which is solely about how much the company can extract from us by way of an enormous give back.”  Obviously, this latest event is a serious setback to our desire to reach a contract worthy of ratification by the membership.

As with all negotiations, the “bull” is “spewing” from the rumor mill. We have heard everything from there will be a definite work stoppage to a contract has already been signed. As your President, I respectfully ask you not to follow the misinformation from the rumor mill because none of it is true.

So now what is our next step?

As you may know, part of my responsibilities is overseeing and conferring with our investment advisors. It is my intention to call an immediate meeting with those investment advisors to project, in detail, what our welfare funds should earn going forward and what we can expect to collect in employer contributions. This will inform us as to the exact parameters of the future finances of our welfare fund. It is my belief that once we have developed those numbers, it will help us beat back the position of member healthcare co-pay.

We cannot buy into the company argument that everyone is co-paying medical costs so therefore you should be co-paying medical costs. We Work in a dangerous and debilitating industry. We are plagued with arthritis, bursitis, neuropathy, back and leg afflictions while working in cold and wet locations with dangerous tools and machines. Our employers should be paying for our healthcare because we are sacrificing our health on behalf of our employers.

We know that ACME has access to this message and our website so I will state the position of the union negotiating committee in a crystal clear fashion: “We will not meet with you until you understand that we cannot agree to this healthcare concession and give back.” We seek to put in place a new contract that will allow ACME to grow and prosper yet will allow our members to receive substantial wage increases, because of growing living costs. We also need a contract that will fully provide for our medical costs into the future and secure a pension which will achieve retirement with dignity. As your President, I believe that the ACME negotiating committee and your union negotiating committee are astute enough and determined enough to bring to fruition an agreement worthy of ratification.

Please keep telling management you will not accept an agreement with give backs and inadequate terms and conditions. Remain informed, militant, and loyal and the situation will change for the better. Thank you.