Whirlpool and Local 808 have reached a tentative agreement on a five-year labor contract that will give workers a raise of $1.05 an hour over five years, plus $2,300 in lump-sum and signing-bonus payments over that time.
The company released its “last, best and final offer” for a new contract to employees in its negotiations newsletter Monday. The company newsletter also stated that union negotiators had said they would recommend that union members ratify the agreement. Union officials could not be reached for additional comment late Monday.
Union members will have a chance to vote on the proposal from 8:30 a.m. Wednesday to 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the office of Local 808 of International Union of Electrical Workers, 2331 Bergdolt Road.
The five-year contract would cover about 1,800 hourly workers. Assemblers now are paid $15.19 an hour. Beginning assemblers on probation are paid about $10.50 an hour under the company’s two-tier pay system.
The tentative agreement includes improvements from the previous company proposals in wages, pension, sickness and accident benefits. The company again revised its vacation eligibility requirements, though the requirements would be more restrictive than those the company has now.
The company has also dropped its proposal to conduct random drug testing – a troublesome issue in the negotiations. The company and union have tentatively agreed to a “probable cause” standard for drug testing.
Under the tentative agreement, workers would receive a $300 signing bonus upon ratification of the contract. They would receive wage increases of 35 cents per hour in the first, third and fifth year of the contract. They would receive lump sum payments of $1,000 in the second and in the fourth year of the contract.
The company would continue to offer its existing medical plans under the agreement. It would also offer new new health insurance options. For existing plans, as well as for dental insurance, employee premiums would increase in all categories under the existing plans. The increases range from 96 cents per week to $7.69 per week.
The company would also increase its tuition reimbursement and safety shoe allowance under the tentative agreement.
From courierpress.com
