Members of UE Local 234 who manufacture precision scales in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom ratified a strong contract in early November after six weeks of intense bargaining. The local secured four percent wage increases in the first and second year of the contract and a 3.5 percent raise in the third year. The members also won on-call, second shift, and lead person pay increases.
The negotiating committee spent over 100 hours bargaining against new plant management who were determined to get concessions from the local. The members remained strong and negotiated a contract with no concessions. They won a wage increase for second shift pay which will now be eight percent higher than first shift pay. The new contract also includes an increase from $225 to $260 a week in on-call pay. The local won a wage increase of $.45 per hour for lead persons — workers who lead the shift duties of people in their department. Over a third of members received additional raises through these wage increases on top of the standard raise everyone will be receiving.
Health insurance premiums throughout the state of Vermont have been going up, with almost all workplaces seeing double-digit percent increases. Local 234 members were able to negotiate thesincreases down for their most widely used insurance to an eight percent limit for all three years. The bargaining committee persuaded management to take on more of the costs by explaining this would retain workers and attract new hires.
Local 234 members negotiated higher reimbursement limits for prescription glasses and increased reimbursement from the company for eye exams. The members can now receive a reimbursed eye exam each year rather than only once during the life of the contract. The contract also includes language increasing their reimbursement for safety shoes.
Bereavement leave was a sticking point for the members as they fought to remove strict definitions of family from the contract. In the end, they were able to add domestic partners and civil unions to the language and strike language that was “funeral” specific — expanding what mourning events time can be taken for. The members were able to remove language limiting when time could be taken following death, allowing members to take off time if a burial or ceremony is pushed back.
Lastly, the members won language on paid time for the bargaining committee. Local 234 bargaining takes place during the workday for bargaining team members. Rather than the local paying the vast majority of the lost time costs, management will now pay 50 percent of time lost for the bargaining team. Going forward, this will alleviate a major expense for the local.
The Local 234 negotiating committee consisted of President Bob Parenteau, Vice President Crystal Harris, Chief Steward David King, and stewards Shana Lund and Ed Whitcomb. They were assisted by International Representative Abbie Curtis.
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The Local 234 bargaining committee. From left to right: Bob Parenteau, David King, Shana Lund, Crystal Harris, and Ed Whitcomb.