@LRToday Morning Round-Up: November 14, 2012
Machinists, Bombardier Learjet Strike Ends: Christopher Brown of Bloomberg BNA ($) reports that members of the International Association of Machinists Local 639 approved a new five-year collective bargaining agreement with Bombardier Learjet. The Machinists had been on strike since October 8, with the major sticking point being health insurance. Under the new contract:
the employee share of health insurance premiums was reduced to 20 percent from 30 percent, with an additional 5 percent savings available to workers who participate in a company wellness program, the statement said. With those changes, workers with single coverage will receive an annual savings of $700 compared with the pre-strike offer, and employees with family coverage will receive $2,300 in annual savings, it said.
As for the economic package, the deal provides for 1 percent wage increases in years two through five, and two lump-sum payments, $2,500 at the beginning of year one, and $1,000 at the beginning of year two. The rejected contract proposal would have provided for a $1,500 payment in year one, $1,000 in year two, and $500 in year three.
NLRB Issues Complaint Against Hyatt Regency: Jamie Smith Hopkins of The Baltimore Sun writes that the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against the Hyatt Regency Baltimore alleging that the hotel unlawfully interrogated employees about their union activities and invoked harsh discipline when employees as part of an anti union campaign. Unite Here is attempting to organize the employees.
Unite Here said hotel managers disciplined workers for arriving as little as a minute late. Jones, who worked at the Hyatt for 10 years, said the hotel didn't enforce its attendance policy until after he and other employees began trying to unionize. The Baltimore man said he was written up after traffic delayed him, though he said he called his manager from the road to warn him.
Smith-Howard said the hotel isn't trying to deter workers from unionizing but wants a secret-ballot election. That's a fair and democratic way for workers to decide, she said, arguing that Unite Here is making "false accusations" because it doesn't want such a vote. The alternative is for workers to sign an authorization card if they are in favor of unionizing.
Workers to Vote in Decertification Election: Jenny Wagner of timesonline.com reports that approximately 50 workers of Almatis Inc. will have the opportunity to vote to decertify their bargaining unit, which is represented by the United Steelworkers of America Local 1211. The election will take place just two months after the employees voted last month to accept a new four-year contract with the employer to avoid a strike. While the USW calls the new contract a success, some employees are claiming that they will make less money than they did before.
