January 31, 2020
Brothers and Sisters,
I would like to thank everyone for coming out to vote on the contract this past Tuesday; we had an 82% turnout and the proposed contract was voted down. We spent the next 24 hours fielding calls from members and listened to their questions and concerns and went back to the table Thursday morning to negotiate with the company. After negotiating back and forth, and making progress in some of the key areas of concern, the company ultimately proposed its last best and final contract proposal.
These are the changes to the original proposal:
- Maintain current contract language for Medical Benefits.
- This means there will be NO increase in medical premiums it also means that the addition of hearing aids (Kaiser Active and Kaiser Retirees) as well as the Silver and Fit Exercise Program (Kaiser Retirees only) was taken off the table as it was not a part of the current contract language.
- Ratification bonus of $1,500.00 to be paid out on April 7, 2020.
We pushed hard for wage increases, but the company stood firm and issued its last best and final offer with the 12% increase we had previously negotiated.
We will be seeking a “strike authorization” if the contract is not accepted.
A Contract Summary Meeting will be held February 4th, 2020
4:30pm At the Union Hall located at 677 Cumberland St Pittsburg, CA
Ratification vote will be held Wednesday, February 5, 2020, 5:30am-4:00pm @ the Employee Main Gate.
Your negotiating committee strongly recommends this contract.
In Solidarity, Negotiation Committee.
2019-2023 Contract Summary
Meeting February 4th, 2020
4:30 pm
At the Union Hall
677 Cumberland St Pittsburg, CA
Contract Ratification Vote
February 5th, 2020
Polls will be open from 5:30 am to 4 pm
Employee Main Gate – Outside of Payroll
For info call 925-432-7396
2019-2023 Contract Summary
Update
- Section 25.3 – Term
The agreement will be from October 1 2019 to September 30,2023.
- LOP Changes
Plant Utilities – Construction Labor was a (LG 1) was moved to Utility Tech (LG 2)
- Section 14 Health, Safety and Environment
Add Shoe inserts to company provided equipment
- Addition of contract language to include paid and unpaid leaves employees are eligible to use.
- Lop and New Job
There is a new Job position being created to with will help non craft employees get into Mechanical maintenance. Job title will be Mechanical Repairman Operating Tech I (LG3) it will have limitations on functions that can be performed as it is to not replace MTM’s but to be a new path for non-craft workers to enter maintenance.
- Appendix V Family Leave
- An employee is no longer required to use a week of vacation when taking FMLA. It will now be the employee’s option to use their vacation if they choose.
- Appendix Q Overtime Meal Allowance -P&M
Meal Allowance will increase fifty cents from $9.00 to $9.50
- Section 24 Pension
Effective for covered employees who retire on or after January 1, 2020, the following amounts shall apply under the minimum formula pension.
Service on or after 1-1-2020
Years 0-30 $115.00
Years 30+ $115.00
- Steelworkers Pension Trust
Increase the hourly contribution to the Steelworkers Pension Trust to $3.15 per hour worked by covered employees effective January 1, 2020; to $3.35 per hour worked by covered employees effective January 1, 2021; and to $3.50 per hour worked by covered employees effective January 1, 2022.
- Section 13 – Seniority
If an Employee is absent from work due to a non-occupational disability ( or disabilities) shall not break service provided the absence(s) for non-occupational leave does not exceed a total of 730 calendar days in a continuous – 42 month period.
An Employee who is absent from work due to a compensable disability shall not break continuous service provided the Employee returns to work within 30 calendar days of being declared at “maximum medical improvement” by his/her treating physician, or by no later than the end of the 104th week from the date of injury, whichever is sooner. An Employee who is absent from work due to compensable disability at the commencement of the 2019 Labor Agreement shall not break continuous service provided the employee returns to work within 30 calendar days of being declared at “Maximum medical improvement” by his/her treating physician, or by no later than December 2021.
The Company shall make available for review by the Local Union lists showing the Company continuous service of each Employee in each seniority unit. Such lists shall be revised by the Company from time to time, as necessary, to keep them reasonably up-to-date.
- New Appendix LL Steelworkers Pension Trust
Increase the hourly contribution to the Steelworker’s pension trust to $3.15 per hour worked by covered employees effective Jan 1, 2020; to $3.35 per hour worked by covered employees effective Jan 1,2021; and to $3.50 per hour worked for covered employees effective Jan,1 2022.
- Section 11 Vacations
11.1 Eligibility for vacation go from 1040 to 520 hour worked in previous year
13. Employees eligible for one or more weeks of vacation may take up to one week in (5) five-day of vacation in daily increments.
The accrual of vacation from 1-2 weeks was shortened by 1 year of service
Weeks of Vacation Years of Service
- 1 but less than 2
- 2 but less than 8
- 8 but less than 15
- 15 but less than 24
- 24 or more
- Section 19 Funeral Leave
Add current Brother In-Law or current Sister In-Law
Mother or Father in-law, Grandparent, Scheduled Shifts Off
current Brother in-law or current Sister in-law 3
- Retiree Health care account for employees hired On or after January 1,2017
The contribution to the Retiree Health Care Account will increase to $0.55 per hour effective Jan 1, 2020; $0.60 per hour effective Jan 1,2021; $0.65 per hour effective Jan 1,2022 and $0.70 per hour effective Jan 1 2023.
- Retiree health care
- · Add silver & fit exercise and Healthy Aging Program to Kaiser Retiree medical plan at no additional cost to retirees 7/1/2020
- No other changes to Retiree’s Health Care
- Maintained current surviving spouse Lump Sum Payments
- Wage scale 2019-2023
Increase of 12% over the life of the contract that will equal 3% each year going back to October 1 2019.
LG Current 10/1/2019 10/1/2020 10/1/2021 10/1/22
1 21.029 21.660 22.310 22.979 23.668
2 23.007 23.697 24.408 25.140 25.894
3 25.289 26.048 26.829 27.634 28.463
4 26.604 27.402 28.224 29.071 29.943
5 28.244 29.091 29.964 30.863 31.789
- Active Employee Benefits
- Active Employees medical premium contribution rates stay same as they are currently. NO increase for 2019-2023 contract
- Hearing aids added to Kaiser Medical plan for active and retired members. An Allowance of $1,500 per device every 36 months effective 7-1-2020.
- Appendix HH - Ratification Bonus of $1,500.00 paid out on April 7, 2020
