Teamsters' workers approve new pact with St. Joe's

YOUNGSTOWN — Service workers at St. Joseph Health Center in Warren have voted overwhelmingly to accept a new three-year contract with the hospital, Teamster’s Local 377 of Youngstown announced.

Highlights of the contract ratified today at the union hall include elimination of a two-tiered vacation system, wage increases each year and additional leave of absence provisions with job protection, the union said in a news release.

The union represents more than 200 food service, maintenance, secretarial, clerical, laboratory and X-ray workers.

The contract takes effect Feb. 1, but the first pay raise will be 2 percent on Sept. 1, followed by 2 percent on March 1, 2008, and 3 percent on March 1, 2009.

The current pay range of the employees is from about $8.45 to more than $13 an hour, said Ken Norris, the union’s recording secretary and business representative.

Negotiations with the hospital ended Friday, and the union’s negotiating committee unanimously recommended ratification by the membership, Norris said.