Local 243 ratified a new three-year contract with Sargent Lock on February 24. This is now the fifth contract the local has won that retains their 100-percent company-paid medical plan. The highest priority for the members during bargaining was to win a contract without any increases or raises to their premium and they accomplished it.
Local 243 President Chris Fiorentino said, “It feels tremendous to back them off our medical, especially in this day in age when insurance prices are increasing. It feels great to not have anything go up.” This agreement marks 12 years of their medical insurance not rising a penny higher, and it will be 15 years once the contract is over.
The contract includes a $5,600 lump sum for the members in the first year, a 3.5 percent raise in the second year, and a three percent raise in the third year. The members will receive $50 increases to their safety shoe reimbursement and reached an agreement with the company to allow a safety shoe seller to come to the workplace so members do not have to buy them outside of work. The members also received an increase to their eye glasses reimbursement. Lastly, the contract includes vacation increases based on a new Connecticut state law that requires employers to give workers 40 hours of paid vacation time after they have worked for 120 days.
The local held regular meetings informing the membership of bargaining progress, and the members were prepared for action if necessary. Fiorentino said, “We fought [the company] for our demands and at the end of the day, we got what we deserved. The members were very happy with the contract.”
The Local 243 negotiating committee consisted of President Chris Fiorentino, Vice President Steve Saunders, Chief Steward McArthur Mention, Paul Fiondella, Terry Bacote, Dean Pacileo, Rich Guarino, Ed Piascik, and Mitchell Cannon. They were assisted by Staff Coordinator and previous Local 243 President Wayne Morrison.