GP/Dixie Local 412 in Easton, Pa., ratified a 4-year contract by a 282 to 37 vote after walking a labor agreement that expired Aug. 2, 2007. The settlement improves wages and benefits while limiting employees’ cost for health care and dental benefits to 25% of the premiums.
Workers are receiving a 2% wage increase retroactive back to Aug. 1, 2007 and three more 2% general wage increases each Aug. 1, through 2010.
Employee life insurance is increased to $29,000 with the entire cost paid by the company. Additional supplemental employee life insurance up to $50,000 (in increments of $10,000) may be purchased by employees. Dependent term life insurance is also available for spouses and
dependent children with costs paid by employees and premiums subject to change on an annual basis. This may be an important benefit for those unable to qualify for life insurance under general underwriting guidelines.
Weekly S&A benefits are increased to 60% of the employee’s regular straight time rate times 40 hours.
Pensions are increased to $25 per month per year of service, and increase $1 a year until the multiplier reaches $28 in the final year. The company also agreed to add 10% to the employer’s cost of maintaining present pension levels that would have otherwise faced reductions.
The safety shoe allowance is increased from $75 to $85 per calendar year, and smoking in the workplace ends Jan. 1, 2011.
Monday, February 25, 2008
GP Fires Shift Worker for Safety Violation
A worker in Dubuque, Iowa, was fired a few weeks ago for his second violation of the lock out/tag out procedure over the previous 12 months.
He was a second shift worker who worked a lot of 12 hour shifts during his tenure.
According to company work rules in Dubuque, a one-year time frame is important because, “discipline steps become inactive after one year…”
GP employees who are written up for safety violations must be especially cautious to follow the rules, especially during the 12 months following the infraction.
While it may seem like a cloud hanging over your head, representatives of Local 1861-5 warn that discharge may result and these cases can be difficult to overturn. In this case, the worker left without asking any help from the union in regaining his job.
As all of our sites continue or go through “rapid transformation,” we need to be aware that working long hours can subject us to being disciplined for committing unintentional safety violations.
He was a second shift worker who worked a lot of 12 hour shifts during his tenure.
According to company work rules in Dubuque, a one-year time frame is important because, “discipline steps become inactive after one year…”
GP employees who are written up for safety violations must be especially cautious to follow the rules, especially during the 12 months following the infraction.
While it may seem like a cloud hanging over your head, representatives of Local 1861-5 warn that discharge may result and these cases can be difficult to overturn. In this case, the worker left without asking any help from the union in regaining his job.
As all of our sites continue or go through “rapid transformation,” we need to be aware that working long hours can subject us to being disciplined for committing unintentional safety violations.
Shutdowns Upset Workers, Spotlights Need For Job Security
Union workers are increasingly concerned about the wave of shutdowns announced by GP, and responding for now by fighting for the best deal possible for workers affected by the loss of jobs.
More news has arrived about GP’s plan to shut down the plant in Franklin, Mass. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, a union delegation visited state officials to nail down additional shutdown benefits, retraining and rehiring assistance for the 30 GP workers who have already been laid off and the remaining 60 workers who will be laid off in April. The Union negotiated severance pay and family health insurance until at least June and more.
At GP’s Suffolk, Va., saw mill, the temporary shutdown is to be made permanent, leaving approximately 15 workers laid off. The USW is bargaining with the company over this action and what it will mean for workers there.
A closing was also announced at the GP box plant in Batavia, Ohio. Union negotiations over effects bargaining are completed. The plant is scheduled to be shut down April 7, 2008
Union workers are seeking a way to discourage this corporate sell off of assets. It’s suspicious how the timing of these box plant closings coincides with hints that GP is buying Temple Inland,
which has 2 box plants not far from Batavia (Middletown and Marion, Ohio) and two box plants within 200 miles of the closing GP box plant in Franklin (Spotswood, N.J. and Scotia, N.Y.)
In the meantime, the USW and the GP Union Conference have made it a priority to assist those adversely affected to help them land on their feet. While the company goes through these business transformations, union workers want to have a seat at the table when decisions like this are being made. And while protecting workers rights in regards to seniority and other job security issues, we want to persuade the company into reinvesting in GP facilities for long-term viability.
More news has arrived about GP’s plan to shut down the plant in Franklin, Mass. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, a union delegation visited state officials to nail down additional shutdown benefits, retraining and rehiring assistance for the 30 GP workers who have already been laid off and the remaining 60 workers who will be laid off in April. The Union negotiated severance pay and family health insurance until at least June and more.
At GP’s Suffolk, Va., saw mill, the temporary shutdown is to be made permanent, leaving approximately 15 workers laid off. The USW is bargaining with the company over this action and what it will mean for workers there.
A closing was also announced at the GP box plant in Batavia, Ohio. Union negotiations over effects bargaining are completed. The plant is scheduled to be shut down April 7, 2008
Union workers are seeking a way to discourage this corporate sell off of assets. It’s suspicious how the timing of these box plant closings coincides with hints that GP is buying Temple Inland,
which has 2 box plants not far from Batavia (Middletown and Marion, Ohio) and two box plants within 200 miles of the closing GP box plant in Franklin (Spotswood, N.J. and Scotia, N.Y.)
In the meantime, the USW and the GP Union Conference have made it a priority to assist those adversely affected to help them land on their feet. While the company goes through these business transformations, union workers want to have a seat at the table when decisions like this are being made. And while protecting workers rights in regards to seniority and other job security issues, we want to persuade the company into reinvesting in GP facilities for long-term viability.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Naheola and Brunswick Reach Agreements
In light of the recent, unprecedented USW/GP framework agreement reached in large part to the ongoing solidarity at Naheola and Brunswick, the contracts at those two locations were recently settled. Here are some details -
USW Locals 950, 952 &966
NAHEOLA, ALABAMA
• Four year agreement
• Wages: two $1,000 payments for mill and converter, plus 2% and 2%
• Increases for mill job classifications
• Increase protective clothing and shoe allowance
• More retirement benefits, including full retirement at 60 years of age
• Funeral leave, add “step child” and great grandparents.
• Medical and dental plans converted to company plan 1/1/09, with employee contributions 25% of the premiums
USW Local 400
BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA
• Four year agreement
• 1st year, 2%, 2nd year $1,000, 3rd Naheola and Brunswick Reach Agreements year 2%, 4th year $1,000
• Wage adjustments up to $1.50/hour
• Family health care and dental insurance converting to company plan
• Pension improvements for both plans, up to $50 per month per year of service
• Red circled jobs continue at increased wage rates (USW maintenance workers put back in production during reduction in workforce at previous rates of pay)
February 8, 2008
SOLIDARITY!
USW Locals 950, 952 &966
NAHEOLA, ALABAMA
• Four year agreement
• Wages: two $1,000 payments for mill and converter, plus 2% and 2%
• Increases for mill job classifications
• Increase protective clothing and shoe allowance
• More retirement benefits, including full retirement at 60 years of age
• Funeral leave, add “step child” and great grandparents.
• Medical and dental plans converted to company plan 1/1/09, with employee contributions 25% of the premiums
USW Local 400
BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA
• Four year agreement
• 1st year, 2%, 2nd year $1,000, 3rd Naheola and Brunswick Reach Agreements year 2%, 4th year $1,000
• Wage adjustments up to $1.50/hour
• Family health care and dental insurance converting to company plan
• Pension improvements for both plans, up to $50 per month per year of service
• Red circled jobs continue at increased wage rates (USW maintenance workers put back in production during reduction in workforce at previous rates of pay)
February 8, 2008
SOLIDARITY!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)