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Wage and profit sharing increases included in the five-year deal
WARREN
Members of IUE/CWA Local 717 approved a five-year work agreement Sunday with Delphi Packard Electric Systems that includes annual raises or bonuses for all union employees.
Ed Salus, Local 717 president, said 62 percent of the membership voted in favor of the new contract, and 38 percent voted against it. He said 542 of Local 717’s 668 members cast votes.
“The contract provides significant gains in economics and language while recognizing the delicate balance required to maintain job security. It also eliminated the long-standing, three-tiered wage system in favor of a seniority-based wage system,” Salus said
Also, employees, members of the International Union of Electrical Workers/Communications Workers of America Local 717, will receive a $1,000 signing bonus, he said.
Salus said the contract, retroactive to Oct. 12, 2015, that runs through Oct. 12, 2019, contains many gains for Local 717 members.
For instance, some employees formerly were not eligible for the Personal Savings Plan, a type of 401K. Now, he said, all employees are eligible after their 90-day probationary period.
Also, health care benefits were maintained and improved. Now, he said anyone who reaches 30 months of employment no longer has to pay premiums and receives better coverage.
New production employees will earn $13.40 per hour and will progress up to the top wage of $20.30 per hour, Salus said.
Salus said the contract increases paid holidays with the addition of Veterans Day, expands profit sharing and improves bereavement benefits.
Also, he said Delphi agreed to create an apprenticeship program and add three apprentices over the life of the agreement.
In a letter to the membership prior to the vote, the bargaining committee said it “fully recommended the tentative proposal.”
On Nov. 8, Local 717 members were scheduled to vote on whether they wanted to strike if negotiations with Delphi Automotive failed.
However, just hours before the vote was to begin, the bargaining committee announced the tentative agreement that was approved Sunday. The membership had rejected a proposed contract in October.
At that time, Salus said union members told him the proposed contract didn’t provide livable wages.