REGION

REGION
Kmart center workersOK three-year contract
BAZETTA -- Workers at the Kmart Distribution Center in Bazetta Township have approved a three-year contract.
Carman Greene, president of United Auto Workers Local 2901, said the vote Sunday was 274-101 in favor of accepting the new pact. The warehouse has about 500 hourly workers.
The distribution center's workers previously gave the UAW strike authorization. However, Greene said both sides agreed to continue working through the negotiation process.
"This is something we can live with for three years," Greene said, without releasing details.
Some of the main issues resolved included vacation time, overtime limits and productivity standards. Greene said the union will be included in the process of measuring employee productivity.
Workers last month rejected an offer from Kmart to extend the previous contract for 10 months with a 35 cent-an-hour raise and a $150 signing bonus. Workers said they wanted to resolve concerns about overtime, scheduling and the productivity measurements.
Staff/wire report