Local 155 Members at Portescap Show Union Colors, Win Improved Wages, Time Off and Layoff Protections

January 25, 2018

On the day their contract expired, UE Local 155 members at Portescap all wore red to demonstrate their unity and determination to win a fair contract. With almost all of the workers participating, management quickly got the message and settled the next day.

The three-year contract increases base wages by 3%, 2.75% and 2.75%. The wage progression was also improved so that new employees reach the top pay rate within a labor grade in 12 months rather than 18.

UE members won Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a paid holiday, a new personal day, and an additional personal day in 2019. Workers with 5-9 years service will receive an additional vacation day, and those with 10-14 years of service will receive two additional vacation days.

The new contract includes language to make the distribution of overtime more equitable, providing clear procedures for workers to sign up for overtime, and requiring the company to increase the font size on the sign-up sheets to improve accessibility.

UE members also won new seniority and other protections in the case of temporary layoffs. In the case of longer-term layoffs, new language provides that workers who bump into a position more than two labor grades lower than their current rate will, for a six month period, be paid at the rate associated with two labor grades below their current rate.

Severance payments were increased to one week per year of service for workers with more than three years of service, and disability benefits were improved.

Management attempts to increase the time that they could temporarily lay off workers, take work out of the bargaining unit, strike out overtime protection, and charge workers $100 if their spouse has the ability to get insurance through their employer were all taken off the table after seeing UE members’ determination not to agree to givebacks.

The negotiating committee consisted of Chief Steward Steve Norris, Shop Committee member Tom Boyer, Shop Committee member Sean Robinson, and Steward Pete Patel. They were assisted by Local 155 President Ron McCullough and Field Organizer Tara McCauley.

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