We are the United Steelworkers, North America’s largest industrial union. We’re 1.2 million members and retirees strong in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. We proudly represent men and women who work in nearly every industry there is.
The union had negotiations today with Essentia Health over the Green Book contract. Not much movement was to be had initially. However at the end we finally had some good dialogue on parking, the COVID shot and seniority. This gives us hope that we may be able to wrap up the non-economic portion, and move into economics, by mid-June.
The company has met their notification timeline per the contract to have a plant shutdown. The Union has been in discussion with the company on how to handle the shutdown for this year and we have come up with the following agreement:
The company will be shut down from Friday December 24, 2021 thru Sunday January 2, 2022 with operations resuming Sunday night at 10:00 pm with 3rd shift (their Monday). Tuesday December 28 and Wednesday December 29 are not currently paid days during this time period. Bargaining unit members may use vacation or take these days as no point, no pay days.
Per the contract, the company has the right to cancel the planned shutdown no later than Monday November 1, 2021.
With this being a contract year and these dates falling outside of the current contractual expiration, this language is subject to change during negotiations.
