Teamster freight members overwhelmingly ratified the 2008-2013 National Master Freight Agreement (NMFA) that protects existing Teamster jobs, maintains a strong wage and benefit package and provides new language to allow the largest unionized carriers a chance to better compete, which will give Teamsters more job security.
"This is a landmark contract because we won many economic gains despite this poor economy, and we have taken steps to allow the largest unionized companies a better chance to compete against the non-union competition," said Tyson Johnson, Director of the Teamsters National Freight Division.
"This contract provides a more secure future for the 70,000 Teamsters covered by the NMFA and their families," Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said.
The NMFA was ratified by a 67-percent margin. In addition, all but two of the 22 regional agreements were also ratified. The two, covering Joint Council 7 in Northern California and the Carolina Automotive Supplement, will be resolved within a week.
The strong gains include record employer health, welfare and pension contribution increases of $5 per hour over the life of the agreement, and wage increases of $2.20 per hour and 5.5 cents per mile over the life of the agreement, including 50 cents per hour in the first year. That's an average increase of 3.9 percent in wage and benefit-contribution increases.
The union also maintained the COLA, or cost of living adjustment, which kept wages up with inflation by providing an additional 10 cents per hour increase under the current contract. The new language to help unionized companies compete allows the transfer of some long-haul, dedicated rail traffic back to the road and creation of a new classification, a "utility employee," who can service freight on a more expedited basis.
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