JBS-Swift Utah workers accept first union contract

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSN1535893720090715

Wed Jul 15, 2009 2:24pm EDT

CHICAGO, July 15 (Reuters) - Meat cutters at the JBS-Swift (JBSS3.SA) beef plant in Hyrum, Utah, this week accepted their first-ever union labor contract, the United Food and Commercial Workers union said in a statement on Wednesday.

JBS-Swift, a unit of Brazil-based JBS SA, was not immediately available to comment.

The more than 1,100 workers at the plant approved a three-year contract that includes regular wage increases, with many workers receiving a 4.6-percent or greater increase at ratification and a dollar-an-hour increase during the life of the contract, the UFCW said.

In addition, the contract guarantees a minimum number of work hours per week, affordable family health coverage with no increase in medical premiums, and a system to resolve workplace issues.

(Reporting by Bob Burgdorfer; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

[provis99]

1. Union, yes!

I bet they had to fight like hell against owner intimidation; I've heard hellish stories from union organizers on the tactics management pulls on employees to keep a union from forming (including such nice things as late phone calls threatening a worker's children, and the like).

[Wednesdays]

2. K&R

:kick: