Helena Labs Bargaining Report #7 - Tentative Agreement

The Joint Bargaining Committees reached a tentative agreement on Friday at approximately 6:00 p.m.  The Local will be posting the date and time for a contract explanation soon.  Your CWA Committee thanks each of you for your phone calls, text messages, and visits during bargaining. We truly appreciate the support! 

We initially proposed a set of demands that represented the top priorities received back in the surveys you completed prior to bargaining.  The top priority was wages followed by more time off from work and lower healthcare cost.  We achieved substantial wage increases.  The Union's proposals on increased vacation and sick pay benefits remained on the table until the very end and were not withdrawn even when the Company refused to meet us less than halfway on our demands.  We put the Company on notice that this issue will continue to be a topic of discussion at the Alliance Meetings and will not go away!  We were able to maintain the plan design of the BCBS plan and chart out changes to deductible and copays the we feel will stabilize and reduce the monthly premium share during the life of the agreement.  We discovered through our information requests that not all of our bargaining unit participants are enrolled in the section 125 plan and will discuss the value of this benefit and how it works in conjunction with healthcare and childcare and the explanation meeting.  The Company has committed to doing an in-depth presentation during annual enrollment this year and going forward to educate all employees about how the plan works and how benefits can be maximized. The CWA will be present and continue to make recommendations regarding healthcare cost containment.  The monthly premium share is currently at 35% for all bargained and non-bargained employees participating in the plan.  We achieved clarity on more administrative parts of the contract that will settle long-running disputes between CWA and Helena regarding access to employees.  This will strengthen our presence at the work locations which is vital to how you are represented day to day.  We do hope each of you will attend the explanation meeting.  We are proud to have made some improvements along with a significant wage increase in the first year.  We are proud to have maintained the overall contract fighting off retrogression and the low wage improvements offered by the Company in their initial proposal for settlement.  The CWA Bargaining Committee unanimously recommends ratification of the tentative agreement.

Article 1 – Recognition: No Changes Article 2 -  Management’s Rights:  No Changes Article 3 – 3.01 Benefits:  No Changes to the Plan Design.  Changes to deductibles and Copays, Increased Company contributions per participant.  Company contributions can be applied to ACA plans outside of the negotiated plan. 3.02 Holidays:   No changes to recognized holidays, Changes to A. Eligibility 3.03 Vacations  - Language added to clarify vacation time use towards FMLA time off.   3.04 Sick Pay Benefits -  Language added to clarify sick pay use towards FMLA time off. 3.05 Life Insurance -   No changes to benefit amount.  Changes to extend life insurance benefit to employees who resign with 20 years or more of service. Article 4 - Hours of Work and Overtime:  No changes Article 5 – Seniority 5.01 New language on Seniority Tie Breaker Article 6 – Grievance Procedure:  New language  Article 7 – Strikes and Lockouts:  No changes Article 8 – Union Representation:  8.01 updated language to cover bargaining committee members.  Article 9 – Authorized Leaves of Absence:  9.04 Medical Leave of Absence language change on minimum and maximum time off under this article.  Leave applies only to employees with no FMLA eligibility. Article 10 – Job Classifications:  No changes Article 11 – Force Adjustments:  No changes Article 12 – Safety Practices:  No changes Article 13 – Payroll Deductions:  13.01 increase to time allowed for union orientation. 13.06 added language defining dues revocation time frames Article 14 – Notice of Promotions of Union Officers, Elected Stewards, and Designated Representatives:  Updated language Article 15 – Nondiscrimination:  No changes Article 16 – Bulletin Boards:  Updated language and an MOA on the number and location of union bulletin boards Article 17 – Past Practices:  No changes Article 18 – Classification and Wages changes will be reflected upon ratification of the tentative agreement Article 19 – Wage Progression and Schedule  2015:  4%       2016:  2%       2017:  2%         2018:   2%           2019:  2% *Retroactivity in all wages, differentials, overtime and benefits Elimination of obsolete titles – Off-Set Camera Operator, Darkroom Technician Article 20 – Alliance Program:  No changes Article 21 – Terms of Agreement:  5 year agreement

 

FINAL BARGAINING REPORT CWA/HELENA LABORATORIES

Article 1 – Recognition: No Changes

Article 2 - Management’s Rights: No Changes

Article 3 – 3.01 Benefits: No Changes to the Plan Design. Changes to deductibles and Copays, Increased Company contributions per participant. Company contributions can be applied to ACA plans outside of the negotiated plan.

3.02 Holidays: No changes to recognized holidays, Changes to A. Eligibility

3.03 Vacations - Language added to clarify vacation time use towards FMLA time off.

3.04 Sick Pay Benefits - Language added to clarify sick pay use towards FMLA time off.

3.05 Life Insurance - No changes to benefit amount. Changes to extend life insurance benefit to employees who resign with 20 years or more of service.

Article 4 - Hours of Work and Overtime: No changes

Article 5 – Seniority 5.01 New language on Seniority Tie Breaker

Article 6 – Grievance Procedure: New language

Article 7 – Strikes and Lockouts: No changes

Article 8 – Union Representation: 8.01 updated language to cover bargaining committee members.

Article 9 – Authorized Leaves of Absence: 9.04 Medical Leave of Absence language change on minimum and maximum time off under this article. Leave applies only to employees with no FMLA eligibility.

Article 10 – Job Classifications: No changes

Article 11 – Force Adjustments: No changes

Article 12 – Safety Practices: No changes

Article 13 – Payroll Deductions: 13.01 increase to time allowed for union orientation.

13.06 added language defining dues revocation time frames

Article 14 – Notice of Promotions of Union Officers, Elected Stewards, and Designated Representatives: Updated language

Article 15 – Nondiscrimination: No changes

Article 16 – Bulletin Boards: Updated language and an MOA on the number and location of union bulletin boards

Article 17 – Past Practices: No changes

Article 18 – Classification and Wages changes will be reflected upon ratification of the tentative agreement

Article 19 – Wage Progression and Schedule

2015: 4% 2016: 2% 2017: 2% 2018: 2% 2019: 2%

*Retroactivity in all wages, differentials, overtime and benefits

Elimination of obsolete titles – Off-Set Camera Operator, Darkroom Technician

Article 20 – Alliance Program: No changes

Article 21 – Terms of Agreement: 5-year agreement

 

 

In Unity,

Stephanie M. Collier CWA Representative – Chair 

Marc LaRousse, President Local 6139

Calvin Carter, Vice President Local 6139

Joyce Baker, Member Local 6139

Robert Millard, Member Local 6139