Members of Local 121, who manufacture nails and rivets for Clendenin Brothers, took a firm stand against management’s aggressive concession proposals and settled a new five-year contract with solid wage increases, improved opportunities for advancement, prohibitions against unfair discipline and improved paid sick and personal leave.
Negotiations continued until late into the night before the previous contract expired, but a strike vote scheduled the next day convinced management to settle. Members also wore buttons and stickers and held a t-shirt day to demonstrate to management that they were united in support of the local negotiating committee.
Job advancement has long been an issue at Clendenin Brothers, where most workers are classified as “general helpers.” The new contract addresses this by requiring to company to create and post a new position on third shift, posting jobs for a longer period of time, establishing a monthly labor-management meeting to continue discussing job advancement opportunities, and adjusting the wages of several members who have not been provided with the opportunity to move into better jobs.
UE members also won language requiring management to issue disciplinary reprimands within 10 working days of becoming aware of the alleged violation. In the past, management would discipline workers as late as three or four months after something happened, and there has been a lot of favoritism in the discipline that is carried out.
The five-year contract includes wage increases of three percent each year, with an additional signing bonus of $1500. The starting rate for general helpers will be increased to $10.10 before the across-the-board raises are applied.
The new contract also establishes five days of personal/sick leave (an increase of three days), in line with a new Maryland law requiring companies to offer workers paid sick leave. Management had wanted to force workers to use their vacation to cover sick leave, but UE members rejected this. The contract, following the law, protects workers’ right to use personal/sick leave to take care of their own mental or physical health, to obtain preventative care for themselves or a family member, to care for a family member, to take maternity or paternity leave, or to deal with domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking committed against them or a family member.
The healthcare plan will change but will maintain the existing benefits in a cost-neutral way, and the existing pension plan will continue.
The negotiating committee consisted of President Antoine Norris, Vice President Nancy Seubert, First Shift Shop Steward Aaron Klinedinst, Treasurer Sheldon Brooks, and Second Shift Shop Steward Troy Cooper. They were assisted by Field Organizer Tara McCauley.