Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Update 

      (02/20/09) In January, the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) rose to 612.719, still well below the July 2008 index of 644.303 (upon which our last COLA was based). After the final month of the six-month measuring period, the fifth COLA under the 2006 National Agreement and the Operating Services Agreement will be zero.

The fourth COLA ($1,477) was effective Aug. 30, 2008 (pay period 19-2008, pay date Sept. 19, 2008).

Effective with the fourth COLA, under the 2006 National Agreement and Operating Services Agreement, employees will have so far received the following cost-of-living adjustments totaling $2,642: $0 (effective March 17, 2007, pay period 07-2007, pay date April 6, 2007; $686 (effective Sept. 1, 2007, pay period 19-2007, pay date Sept. 21, 2007); $479 (effective March 15, 2008, pay period 07-2008, pay date April 4, 2008); $1,477 (effective Aug. 30, 2008, pay period 19-2008, pay date Sept. 19, 2008); and $0 (effective March 14, 2009, pay period 07-2009, pay date April 2, 2009).