Worker Wins: The Contract Will Immediately Change Lives

Our latest roundup of worker wins includes numerous examples of working people organizing, bargaining and mobilizing for a better life.

AFSCME Corrections Officers in Connecticut Recognized for Making Workplaces Safer: Corrections officers from three AFSCME locals were honored for making their workplaces safer by the Connecticut AFL-CIO. Annually, as part of Workers Memorial Day, the Connecticut AFL-CIO holds an event in Hartford to honor workers who have died, been injured on the job or gotten sick due to work. The state federation’s Health and Safety Committee also honors those who are working to prevent workplace deaths and injuries. This year, AFSCME Locals 387, 391 and 1565—all part of Council 4—were recognized for their advocacy at the Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) to boost workplace safety. “Due to the coordinated advocacy of all three AFSCME DOC locals, the Department of Correction finally chose to begin the implementation of mail scanners and body scanners in select correctional institutions—critical technology that, when it is utilized in every facility within the [Connecticut DOC], will make correctional officers and staff, as well as inmates, exponentially safer,” said Jeremie St. Pierre, a correctional officer at the Cheshire Correctional Complex and president of Local 387.

United Flight Attendants Ratify New Contract with 31% Average Wage Increase: United Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), voted to ratify a new contract. The contract was ratified, with 82% voting for the agreement and 88.85% votes cast of all eligible. “The contract will immediately change the lives of United Flight Attendants, especially our thousands of new hires who have been hired since the pandemic,” said Ken Diaz, United Master Executive Council president. “Our solidarity delivered the goods.” The five-year contract includes a 31% base pay rate increase this summer; boarding pay (which averages an 7% to 8% increase to compensation); $741 million in retroactive pay; expanded job security; restrictions on red-eye flying; sit pay for scheduled and rescheduled sits over 2.5 hours; per diem and 401(k) contribution increases; 10 weeks’ paid maternity and two weeks’ paid parental and adoption leaves; elimination of 24 hour on-call reserve and more. “The United…Flight Attendants’ contract now leads the industry in total value for flight attendants, and it should,” said Sara Nelson, international president of AFA-CWA. “We will continue to press forward with all of our contracts and build power with our organizing to ensure flight attendants are respected with meaningful return for our work as aviation’s first responders.”

IATSE Members Announce Contract with ‘Beast Games’ Ahead of Season 3, Secure Back Pay and Benefits: Members of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) who work on “Beast Games” reached an agreement with the producers ahead of the series’ third season. The contract covers more than 500 crew members working on the production, which is based in Greenville, North Carolina. The workers will receive back pay and benefits for preproduction work that has already been completed and will remain covered by this agreement for this season and subsequent seasons. “Organizing Season 3 of ‘Beast Games’ boiled down to IATSE solidarity in this difficult production environment,” said Michael F. Miller Jr., international vice president and department director of IATSE’s Motion Picture & Television Production Department. “As employment in our industry continues to face challenges from predatory employers looking to take advantage of the industry contraction, our members and their local leaders are showing that they have the strength to stand together to maintain standards in the face of repeated attacks on their livelihoods by greedy employers.”

University of Missouri Librarians Vote to Join LIUNA 955: Librarians at the University of Missouri voted to join LIUNA Local 955. The unit includes librarians, archivists and library information specialists. The workers launched their union drive in December. “Some of our staff barely make above minimum wage and that harms our ability to deliver effective service to our users—the researchers, students, staff and faculty that keep this University running,” said Taira Meadowcroft, a health science librarian.

Workers at PCA Paper Products in Minnesota Ratify Strong Contract with Major Wage Gains, Protected Health Insurance: Members of IAM Union locals W33 and 760, Electrical Workers (IBEW), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Operating Engineers (IUOE), and the Teamsters working at Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) in International Falls, Minnesota, ratified a strong four-year contract. The contract includes 12.5% in general wage increases, a guarantee that current health benefits will not change, improvements to scheduling language, a better grievance procedure, better paid personal time language, and other improvements. The Joint Union Committee, representing members of each of the unions, was led by IAM District 5 Directing Business Representative Jeff Hoopman. “I’m very proud of the work and commitment put in by this committee,” Hoopman said. “Such a large committee representing so many unions can be a challenge, but this group really acted throughout with one purpose: to get a great contract for their members and they accomplished that.”

San Diego Musical Theatre Crew Join IATSE: Production workers at the San Diego Musical Theatre (SDMT) voted overwhelmingly to organize with the Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 122. The unit includes wardrobe department staff, stitchers, dressers, audio technicians, spotlight operators, deck crew, stage managers and assistant stage managers. “Building the theatre community has always been a priority for our Local,” said Robert Morales, business representative for IATSE Local 122. “By organizing SDMT, we continue to build union density which in return helps us negotiate better contracts for everyone and uplift the industry.” The newly organized crew will now negotiate their first collective bargaining agreement with San Diego Musical Theatre. The company conducted an anti-union campaign, including unsuccessful attempts to hold a captive audience meeting and personal appeals from management to reject the union.

UAW Members at CNH Racine Reach Tentative Agreement; Secure Raises, Other Benefits: UAW members at CNH Industrial’s Racine facility reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract. The Racine plant manufactures Case IH Magnum high-horsepower tractors. The contract includes stronger job security language, 22% general wage increases for production employees, 29% general wage increases for skilled trades employees, significant health and safety language improvements, health care enhancements, and improvements to retirement benefits. “This tentative agreement reflects the strength and solidarity of our members in Racine,” said UAW Vice President Laura Dickerson. “Workers stood together to win meaningful wage increases, improvements in health and safety protections, stronger retirement benefits, and commitments that help secure the future of this plant and the jobs it supports.” The tentative agreement must still be ratified by the membership.

IAM Local 778 Members Ratify New Contract at Olin Winchester, Winning Raises, Mandatory Overtime Relief: IAM Union Local 778 members voted to ratify a new four-year contract with Olin Corp.’s Winchester division, ending their strike. The victory for more than 1,300 skilled workers at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant was approved by the membership on May 6. “This ratified agreement met the needs of our membership and they are ready to get back to work under these new terms,” said IAM Local 778 Directing Business Representative Scott Brown. “Our members fought for a contract that includes improvements to pay and relief to mandatory overtime scheduling.” “I am proud of these members for their courage and sacrifice,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “The members of IAM Local 778 took the necessary action to make their workplace better and make each other’s lives better. ”

NewsGuild of New York Journalists at Sports Illustrated Win New Contract, Guaranteed Pay Increases: Journalists at Sports Illustrated (SI)—who are members of The NewsGuild of New York, Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 31003—won a new three-year contract that raises salaries, saves on health care costs, protects remote work as well as workers regarding artificial intelligence (AI). The SI Union represents 64 journalists at the sports media organization. The deal wraps up nearly a year and a half of bargaining with publisher Minute Media. Highlights of the new contract include a new $70,000 salary floor; an average raise of 5.22% upon ratification, with 3% guaranteed increases over the next two years; preservation of just-cause protections; AI guardrails and more. “This contract upholds the principles and protections we fought so hard for four years ago,” says Dan Falkenheim, a fact checker and the SI Union’s unit chair. “After our members have experienced more than their fair share of instability because of ownership changes beyond our control, we are thrilled to have a contract that values our work and provides a strong foundation for Sports Illustrated’s future at Minute Media.”