When UE Local 766 members started negotiations for a new contract in December, they faced an employer that seemed determined to take away much of what they'd fought for over many years. But the members were even more determined not to go backwards, and their unity brought about a positive outcome.
The company - Ametek/Westchester Plastics - wanted a system of two-tier benefits. New employees would have a 401(k) savings plan instead of the defined benefit pension. The company demanded the elimination of all but two sick days, and a cut in the maximum vacation accrual of senior workers from five weeks to just three. Among the company's other proposals: a 12-hour workday, increased mandatory overtime, up to half the workforce to be temporary employees, and management's right to ignore seniority in making job assignments and in temporary layoffs. The company wanted to bring in surveillance cameras to watch employees, and use them for discipline. Management wanted to discipline workers who were injured on the job three or more times over a 17-year period. The company demanded that workers pay 30 percent of the health insurance premium, but initially offered no pay increases.
However, the three-year contract that union members ratified in mid-January looked nothing like the company's outrageous proposals. The dramatic turnaround was the result of the members' determination and solidarity, which they demonstrated to the company in actions at the workplace. The local also scheduled a strike vote, and notices of the strike vote meeting posted in the plant gave managers a strong reason to change their bargaining position.
In the negotiated agreement, the local defeated two-tier benefits, and won $6 in increases in the pension. This brings the pension multiplier to $52 by the final year of the agreement which means the basic monthly pension will be $52 times the worker's years of service. Yearly wage increases will be 1 percent, 2 percent and 3 percent. The shift premium for second shift is increased from 35 to 40 cents, and for third shift it goes from 45 to 50 cents. There are no increases in the employees' cost for health insurance, and life insurance is improved from $32,000 to $35,000.
The local agreed to allow the company to use cameras for training purposes but not for discipline, except if a worker is caught on camera committing theft. The union also agreed to minor changes in safety language, but stopped the company's effort to discipline workers for lost-time accidents. The new contract includes a voluntary time off (VTO) plan while preserving seniority rights, call-in pay and bumping rights.
"Negotiations were pretty tough, says Local President Mark Byrne. "The company didn't want to give anything, they wanted to take everything away. But the people out on the floor, on all three shifts, sent them a message, and after the message they started to loosen up, and then they negotiated with us fairly. So we lost nothing, we kept everything we had and gained a little bit. The important things are we kept our insurance at the same cost, got a little bit of a raise and did pretty good on our pension. We held our own, and the people on the floor deserve a lot of credit."
The Local 766 bargaining committee consisted of President Mark Byrne, Vice President Dave Helmlinger, Chief Steward Brian Cummins, Recording Secretary Larry Smith, and Secretary-Treasurer Ken Bowersock. They were assisted by UE International Representative Dennis Painter.