The 100 members of Local 1166 work hard every day to make the APL warehouse run smoothly. The warehouse stocks after-market locomotive parts for Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), now owned by Caterpillar. Members voted on May 2, by a two-to one margin, to ratify a new contract with the company which includes pay raises and some gains they had tried to get for years.
“We accomplished some of our goals, we got a pay increase and we got some beneficial language changes”, said Local 1166 President Bobby Space. “Convincing the members was hard but at the end, the package was improved by members stepping into action”, he added.
The local met with management 16 times, and had members voted down an earlier “final offer.” In mid-March, workers “blew the whistle” on management’s demands for givebacks and lump sums instead of wage increases.
“We purchased whistles and made stickers, and got them to everyone through our contract support committee” (CSC), said Alfredo Saldierna, chief steward and member of the bargaining committee. “Management got the point that we were in no mood to take their lump sums and healthcare takebacks”, he added. “In the end, we had three rallies, meetings with the members over the status of the negotiations, and multiple stickers targeting the things we need. This helped push us to where we got”.
In one of the final days of bargaining the CSC sprang into action, and 15 minutes before the morning break, decided to organize a rally, and workers marched on the boss’s office.”We shook management, they got the message when 60 people showed up right outside their offices”, Space added.
The contract is for three years and provides a 40 cent hourly raise each year, in addition to a $375 lump sum signing bonus. The bargaining committee fought hard but was not successful in eliminating the two-tier wage structure which they believe will haunt them in future negotiations. A second rotation list for overtime was established, which will provide more overtime opportunities for all members. They secured solid “successors and assigns” language that provides better job security. Members will get more flexibility to use their PTO when they need it, and the local added Martin Luther King Day and Good Friday as unscheduled days, with flexible scheduling around them so people can have the day off. After a tough fight by the union, management succeeded in eliminating the attendance bonus.
“In the end, there were some small take-backs, but we got decent raises, and the members were involved like never before. I am proud that we brought people together”, said Space.
The union negotiating committee included President Bobby Space, Chief Steward Alfredo Saldierna, and Bessie Abbott. They were assisted by UE Field Organizer J Burger.