The four year agreement is set to be voted on June 12 and contains the following agreements according to United Electrical, Machine and Radio Workers of America Local 506’s posting on its website:
• Maintain current wage rates for existing Wabtec employees. Ten-year progression to full wage rates for new-hire employees.
• A commitment for new work equivalent to 100 full-time employees by the end of the contract Continuation of voluntary overtime.
• Five-year recall rights.
• Overtime premium pay after eight hours and double-time after 12 hours.
• Standard Monday-Friday work week.
• Up to six weeks of paid vacation, based upon years of service.
• Up to 5 paid personal days, based on service.
• Twelve paid holidays.
• Improved health and welfare benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability benefits.
• Retirement (401K) plan with a 3% company contribution plus an additional 3% matching contribution.
• Contract is for 4 years
Both the UE Locals 506 and 618, and Wabtec are optimistic that this proposal will keep locomotive production at the plant, and possibly expand it as there is space available to do so.
Building 10, the main assembly building, is only functioning at 50% capacity most of the time. Some agreements in the contract will still remain undefined until Tuesday, June 11, when locals 506 and 618 will hold special membership meetings at Erie’s Bayfront Convention Center to discuss these and other parts of the contract agreed upon. The ratification vote for this contract takes place on June 12 at the Union Hall in Lawrence Park.
It was originally 18 years. If you’re really interested in the sequence of negotiations between UE 506 and WABTEC, go to goerie.com and the UE 506 website. It’s an eye-opener. It’s a case study in how not to conduct labor relations. WABTEC has come a long way from it’s original demand that the union, in effect, roll over and die–and waited until the last minute to say so, despite ignoring UE offers for months before the sale closing.
10 year progression? The most I ever heard was 5 years and I been Union 22 years. Of course the current employees are not affected thats why is was looked over. 10 years is a looong time to get top pay. That’s if that plant stays open anyway, in 4 years, They’ll pack it up and move South. I hope not.