January 12, 2004

Dear Sister or Brother

Today, Monday January 12th, our Committee met with the Company's Committee and the Federal Mediator to reconvene negotiations.  The meeting started with a review of what had been discussed at the table when we ended on December 30th.  Both sides made offers and counter offers in trying to reach ratification.  It did not happen.  The Company has stated that they are not interested in adding to the costs of the last package.

We have expressed the fact that the Company has yet to meet the needs of the membership to reach a vote of acceptance.  We are not interested in shuffling the money around.  So far, they have attempted to take money away from one place and put it somewhere else.  We have stressed to the Company that they need to bring more to the table to reach a package that will be passed.  We feel our requests have not been unreasonable, but have reflected what the members have shared with us.

We will not be meeting as scheduled on Tuesday, January 13th due to conflicts with the Federal Mediator's schedule.  Due to a planned absence on the Company's Committee, we cannot meet until the first week in February.

Stay tuned to become involved in the informational picketing planned due to Alliant Energy bargaining in bad faith and unilaterally implementing the medical plan including the premiums, co-pays and deductibles.


In Solidarity,

Your Negotiating Committee

Shawn Reents
Mike Pyne
Gary McGrath
Bob Jung
Holly Kaiser