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UE News Updates

Economic Impact of GE Job Transfers Will Have Ripple Throughout Pennsylvania, Erie County Economies

08 August, 2017
Erie, PA

As one part of its struggle against GE's announced plan to move even more work out of the Erie plant, UE Local 506 commissioned an economic impact study by the firm Parker Philips. The union announced the results of that study today with the following press release. Click the link at the bottom to download the full report.  

Economic Impact of GE Job Transfers Will Have Ripple Throughout Pennsylvania, Erie County Economies

With Walkout and Workplace Unity, Local 1121 Members Win Big

08 August, 2017
La Crosse, WI

On Thursday August 3, a packed room of UE Local 1121 members enthusiastically voted to ratify the new contract with their company, Aramark Laundry Services. It was the strongest contract the workers had won, with 40-cent wage increases every year, their first-ever paid sick days, and a stronger safety committee. The vote came at the end of more than three months of fierce struggle by the laundry workers that culminated with the local’s first-ever job action, shutting down production as workers walked out and marched around the plant for 45 minutes at the start of this week.

UE Local 228 Wins First Union Contract For Workers at National Visa Center

25 July, 2017
Portsmouth, NH

Workers at the National Visa Center (NVC) organized to join UE last year, and overcame their employer’s tough anti-union campaign to win a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)election and gain union representation last October 19. Over the following four months, this workforce of nearly 600 received its UE charter as local 228, and members negotiated and ratified their first union contract, approved on February 28.

Significant Raises, Improvements In Local 622 Contract with Saint-Gobain Ceramics

12 July, 2017
Latrobe, PA

UE Local 622 members have overwhelmingly ratified a new five-year contract with their employer, Saint-Gobain Ceramics, which includes $2.10 in wage increases. The yearly raises in hourly wages are 35, 40, 40, 45 and 50 cents. Workers also received a $500 signing bonus.

The union and company reached a tentative agreement on May 20, the scheduled expiration date, despite some disruption caused by the company firing the plant manager just before negotiations began.

By Saying No, Members Get Company to Say Yes; Local 1118 Wins Raises in New Contract at FCi

12 July, 2017
Chicago

On February 17, members of UE Local 1118 voted to ratify a new one-year agreement with their employer, FCi. These workers process forms for the United States Customs and Immigration Service at its Chicago Field Office, run by FCi as a federal contractor.

The contract settlement came after a fast-paced month of struggle between the workers and management. FCi tried to avoid negotiating a new contract with the union, and instead pushed for an extension of the agreement already in place. This extension would not have included any wage increase or change in contract language. 

Militant Membership Beats Concessions, Wins “Great Contract” at Kennametal

12 July, 2017
Greenfield, MA

In a classic UE battle, members of Local 274 for three months militantly fought against concession demands by their employer, Kennametal. On June 22, the local bargaining committee signed a tentative agreement for a new two-year agreement. The following day, the 74 members unanimously ratified it. Local President Shawn Coates calls it “a great contract with good benefits and good wage increases.”

Windsor Locks Paraprofessionals Win Raises, Clarify Language

12 July, 2017
Windsor Locks, CT

Going into contract negotiations this year, Windsor Locks school paraprofessionals expected difficulty because the school board would not share their proposed budget for the coming school year.  The union also knew layoffs were possible. As of this writing a school budget has not been passed by the town.

Nevertheless, the union achieved a three-year contract with wage increases of 2 percent, 2 percent, and 1 percent.  The school board wanted to cut the pay for substituting in half but ultimately agreed to retain the current contract language. 

School Food Service Workers Improve Wages, Language in New Contract

12 July, 2017
Suffield, CT

The Suffield food service workers were glad that, for the first time in several years, management did not talk about subcontracting their jobs during contract negotiations. The hard work of the union members has improved the financial performance of the school cafeteria.  The members of Sub-local 38 of UE Local 222 negotiated and ratified a new three-year contract.

Member Unity Wins Gains, Not Givebacks, in Freudenberg Contract

10 January, 2017
Necedah, WI

As their contract expiration neared, the bargaining committee of UE Local 1107 met with their employer, Freudenberg NOK, with a lot at stake. Wisconsin’s 2015 anti-union “right-to-work”, which outlaws union shop language in all new contracts, hung over the local’s head. A lot of new workers had been hired since spring, and almost half the work force was impacted by a divisive two-tier wage system forced on the bargaining unit during the deep downturn in the auto parts business in 2009.

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