Sep 11, 2015
On Wednesday, September 9th, almost a month after they unanimously rejected the company’s first “Final Offer”, the members of Allied Ready Mix voted to ratify a new three year agreement. This new agreement corrected nearly all of the issues that members had with the company’s first offer and contains improvements in the following:
1. Two holidays added; News Year’s Eve and Christmas Eve.
2. Double time will now be paid on these holidays if an employee is required to work.
3. Added a 4th week of vacation for employees with twenty years of service.
4. Employees can split up one week of vacation to be used as individual days.
5. Maintained Central States health insurance plan with the company agreeing to pay an additional 5% towards the cost of the total plan, bringing the company contribution to 75% of the total cost.
6. Maintained the Central States Pension Plan with the company agreeing to pay increases to $31.00 per day in year one, $32.00 per day in year two and $33.00 per day in year three.
7. The wage increases are $1.50 per hour in year one, $.40 per hour in year two, and $.40 per hour in year three. The first year increase will be paid retroactive back to July 14th ,2015
8. Overtime will now be paid after eight hours in any workday.
9. Overtime will now be paid for employees who start work prior to 3:00 AM.
10. Changed four unpaid personal days to four paid personal days.
Recording-Secretary and Business Agent for Allied Ready Mix, Jeff Cooper, had this to say about what transpired;
When we met with Allied Ready Mix three years ago for negotiations, this company was in bad shape and was in the process of filing for bankruptcy. When they explained that they needed concessions in order to survive, we required them to open their books and allow us the opportunity to have an economist go through the company’s finical records before Local 89 would ever entertain listening to any concessionary proposals. The company agreed and our review of the books did indeed support the company’s claims and our members gave generously to help Allied Ready Mix get through these hard times, in an attempt to save these jobs.
Now three years later this is a success story because Allied Ready Mix is doing well, and are hiring new workers. Due to the strength and unity of our membership we were able to regain almost everything that was given up three years ago, plus improvements in wages, insurance and pension. These jobs are viable now. They are restored to once they once were, and are again competitive in the unionized Ready Mix industry in our area.
I want to thank Business Agents Jim Kincaid, Jay Dennis and Rusty Villier for sitting in on these negotiations, but most importantly the Stewards and Negotiating Committee; Eddie Pierman, Johnathon James “JJ” and Billy Booth for all that they have done. This type of bargaining is hard to be a part of. It is very emotional and stressful and because of your leadership I know your co-workers and everyone here at Local 89 would like to thank you for everything that you do.
- Jeff Cooper, Recording-Secretary Teamsters Local 89
