Bargaining Digest Weekly by Gordon Pavy, Jan 20, 2007

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/01/20/bargaining-digest-weekly-42/

Bargaining Digest Weekly

by Gordon Pavy, Jan 20, 2007

The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 800 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

Members of the Machinists at the Raytheon missile plant in Tucson, Ariz., have agreed to a new deal, ending a 70-day strike. They will return to work Monday with a 3 percent increase in each year of the three-year contract as well as a $1,000 payment for each worker to offset medical plan expenses.

United Steelworkers (USW) members at the National Wire Fabric plant in Star City, Ark., have ended a strike that lasted more than a year. The strike ended after the union made “an unconditional offer to return to work.” Workers stopped walking the picket line Jan. 9, but they have not returned to work yet.

Richmond, Va.-area Steelworkers at MeadWestvaco returned to work after rejecting the company’s latest contract offer. Negotiations are expected to resume soon.

It isn’t often we get to report truly innovative agreements, but here’s one between the USW and Stora Enso in the paper industry. Under the contract covering workers at four Wisconsin plants, Stora Enso agreed to neutrality, common expiration dates for existing and any newly recognized plants, a seat on the company’s European Works Council, strong successorship language, a say in company restructuring, strong job security and a 9 percent wage increase over the three-year life of the contract.

Little progress has been made toward a settlement in the 11-month lockout at AK Steel in Middleton, Ohio. The only change to the latest company offer is to lower the hurdle for worker physicals required for a return to work in the event of a settlement.

Plans for hedge funds to invest $3.4 billion in Delphi drew mixed reviews from some locals representing plants in Dayton, Ohio.

The IUE-CWA and new owners of Pittsburgh Brewing reached a new tentative contract. The 145-year-old brewer’s sale and reorganization plan is contingent upon the contract being ratified.

Public Workers: Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, along with AFSCME and the unaffiliated UFCW and SEIU unions, announced a tentative four-year agreement for 45,000 state workers. The contract was not due to expire until June 30. The agreement, if ratified, would provide a lump sum first year bonus and increases of 3 percent in the first two years and 4 percent in the remaining three years.

In Nebraska, state officials and AFSCME have reached a first-ever impasse, which occurred over wages. AFSCME represents more than 11,000 state workers. Administration negotiators handed in their last best offers Wednesday afternoon.

In Wisconsin, five of 19 Brown County contracts are set for approval by the county following ratification by the unit’s workers.

FULL story at link