Labor & Employment Law

6,000 Steelworkers Win Strong Pact at Alcoa?and More Bargaining News

By Belinda Boyce

Some 6,000 members of the United Steelworkers negotiated a strong contract at Alcoa workplaces nationwide, and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,200 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

SETTLEMENTS
USW, Alcoa: United Steelworkers (USW) members at 11 Alcoa facilities across the United States ratified a new four-year contract. The 6,000 workers successfully resisted attempts by the company to reduce health benefits and impose a two-tier pay system.

IAM, Boeing: Members of Machinists (IAM) District 837 in St. Louis yesterday voted to ratify a new contract with the Boeing Co. Approval of the 30-month contract averted a strike by more than 2,500 workers that would have started today.

IAM, Spirit AeroSystems: Workers at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kan., ratified a new 10-year contract last week that will cover nearly 6,000 members of IAM Local 839.  The contract provides a 4 percent wage increase over the term, early retirement options and pension increases.

UFCW, Giant Eagle: Members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 23 in Pennsylvania approved two new four-year contracts with Giant Eagle. The contracts will cover nearly 6,000 workers in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

NEGOTIATIONS
ALPA, Jazz Air: Pilots at Canada’s Jazz Air have reached a tentative agreement with the company after 13 months of tough negotiations. The 1,500 members of the Air Line Pilots (ALPA) will vote on the deal next month.

IUE-CWA, Momentive Performance Materials Inc.: IUE-CWA Local 81359 has reached a tentative three-year agreement with Momentive Performance Materials Inc., covering 600 workers at a Waterford, N.Y., plant.

NNU, Tenet Healthcare: After two years of tough negotiations, 300 registered nurses at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center in Texas have reached a tentative first contract with Tenet Healthcare Corp. If ratified, the contract will provide members of National Nurses Organizing Committee-Texas/NNU (NNOC-Texas/NNU) with a 10.5 percent wage increase over the three-year term.

UFCW, Safeway: In Wyoming, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 reached a tentative 52-month agreement with Safeway. Local 7 was pleased to secure the same wage increases and pension benefits as their Colorado counterparts for their 600 members at Wyoming Safeway stores.

NNU, Multiple Hospitals: Determined to fight for safe nurse-patient ratios, nurses in Minnesota announced a July 6 strike date if no deal is reached with 14 Twin Cities hospitals. Thus far, the hospitals have agreed to only one bargaining session before the strike deadline.

ALPA, Continental and United Airlines: Early talks between ALPA and Continental and United Airlines about the proposed merger fell apart Friday when management walked away from the table. Capt. Jay Pierce, chairman of the Continental pilots division of ALPA, said, ?[i]t is unbelievable that contract talks have stalled so early in the process and for such a basic item as a transition agreement,? expressing doubts for the future of the merger.

WORK STOPPAGES
IBEW, Delmarva Power: Striking workers at Delmarva Power and Conectiv Energy have reached a tentative agreement with the power company. More than 650 members of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1238 walked off the job June 18.

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only.  As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on June 28, 2010 (boomark / email).