New York State Workers Fight Layoffs—and More Bargaining News

by Belinda Boyce, Aug 3, 2010

New York state employees are fighting unilateral layoffs, 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 1,300 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

NEGOTIATIONS
Multiple, State of New York: New York Gov. David Paterson last week announced plans to move ahead with the layoffs of state workers, seemingly in violation of an agreement he reached with the Civil Service Employees Association/AFSCME and the Public Employees Federation/AFT-SEIU that guaranteed no layoffs before 2011. Danny Donohue, president of CSEA, said the announcement was “counterproductive, impractical and bad for New Yorkers all around.”

USW, Western Forest Products: United Steelworkers (USW) locals 1-1937 and 1-85 in Canada reached a tentative four-year agreement with Western Forest Products. If ratified, the deal would provide 2,400 forestry workers with a signing bonus, wage increases and improved job security and health benefits.

WORK STOPPAGES
USW, Honeywell: Members of USW Local 7-669 in Metropolis, Ill., are entering their second month on the picket line, after Honeywell locked out the 220 workers on June 28. These workers were planning to work through negotiations but were determined to protect their health care benefits, and for good reason: they work at a uranium plant. One week after their old contract expired, Honeywell locked them out and hired replacement workers.

UNITEHERE!, Westin Providence: The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint against the Westin Providence hotel after management imposed wage cuts on and increased the workloads of UNITEHERE! Local 217 members.

UFCW, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (Mott’s): The second-quarter profits for Dr. Pepper Snapple Group rose by more than 15 percent! But while the company rakes in profits, it continues to demand cuts from Mott’s workers who have been on strike for more than two months at a plant in Williamson, N.Y. The more than 300 workers are members of Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU/UFCW) Local 220, which says Mott’s took advantage of the weak economy, imposing a contract with wage and benefits cuts and hiring replacement workers from the huge pool of unemployed workers in the area.

SETTLEMENTS
USW, Essar Steel Algoma: Members of USW Local 2251 ratified a three-year contract with Essar Steel Algoma in Canada. The contract covers 2,600 workers and provides a 3.5 percent wage increase over the term.

IUE-CWA, Lockheed Martin: Workers at a Lockheed Martin plant in Salina, N.Y., ratified a new four-year contract. The 354 members of IUE-CWA will receive a 13.8 percent wage increase over the term.

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.

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