Two Building Trades unions have ratified new contracts and two others have tentative agreements, but at least four other contracts remain up in the air, according to information compiled by St. Paul Union Advocate Editor Michael Kuchta.
About 1,200 members of Cement Masons Local 633 were scheduled to vote May 10 on a highway/heavy contract. Construction drivers in Teamsters Local 120 were scheduled to vote May 18 on their own tentative agreement.
Carpenters represented by the Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters ratified a highway/heavy contract on May 5, covering about 1,000 workers. The three-year agreement provides annual increases of:
? $1.55 per hour in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud, Duluth and northeastern Minnesota.
? $1.50 in southern and southeastern Minnesota.
? $1.35 in western Wisconsin.
? $1.35 this year, and $1.10 in 2006 and 2007 in western Minnesota.
In the Building Trades, general increases typically are divided among wages, health insurance and pension contributions, and sometimes other purposes such as training.
Members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 overwhelmingly ratified a commercial contract on May 7, after rejecting an earlier proposal on April 30. The new contract, which covers about 1,600 members in the seven-county metro area, provides annual increases of $1.86, $1.90 and $1.95 per hour.
Local 10 continues to negotiate a contract for residential work. Those negotiations will go to binding arbitration if no settlement is reached, "so that could take a while," said Craig Sandberg, business manager of Local 10.
? Negotiations for four Pipe Trades locals were scheduled for May 11 and 18. Contracts with Plumbers Local 34 in St. Paul and Local 15 in Minneapolis cover about 3,250 members in the seven-county metro area. Contracts with Pipefitters Local 455 in St. Paul and Local 539 in Minneapolis cover about 2,400 members in a 12-county area.
Jerry Barnes, business representative for Local 455, said the locals expected to bring proposals for membership votes on May 20 and 21.
The Pipe Trades locals say their contracts also will go to binding arbitration if a settlement is not reached.
? Negotiations continue with Sign, Screen and Display Local 880 for a new sign contract covering about 100 members in the seven-county metro area. That contract, like the others, expired April 30.
? Contracts expire May 31 for Heat and Frost Insulators Local 34 and for Sprinkler Fitters Local 417.
Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org">advocate@mtn.org
Two Building Trades unions have ratified new contracts and two others have tentative agreements, but at least four other contracts remain up in the air, according to information compiled by St. Paul Union Advocate Editor Michael Kuchta.
About 1,200 members of Cement Masons Local 633 were scheduled to vote May 10 on a highway/heavy contract. Construction drivers in Teamsters Local 120 were scheduled to vote May 18 on their own tentative agreement.
Carpenters represented by the Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters ratified a highway/heavy contract on May 5, covering about 1,000 workers. The three-year agreement provides annual increases of:
? $1.55 per hour in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud, Duluth and northeastern Minnesota.
? $1.50 in southern and southeastern Minnesota.
? $1.35 in western Wisconsin.
? $1.35 this year, and $1.10 in 2006 and 2007 in western Minnesota.
In the Building Trades, general increases typically are divided among wages, health insurance and pension contributions, and sometimes other purposes such as training.
Members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 overwhelmingly ratified a commercial contract on May 7, after rejecting an earlier proposal on April 30. The new contract, which covers about 1,600 members in the seven-county metro area, provides annual increases of $1.86, $1.90 and $1.95 per hour.
Local 10 continues to negotiate a contract for residential work. Those negotiations will go to binding arbitration if no settlement is reached, “so that could take a while,” said Craig Sandberg, business manager of Local 10.
? Negotiations for four Pipe Trades locals were scheduled for May 11 and 18. Contracts with Plumbers Local 34 in St. Paul and Local 15 in Minneapolis cover about 3,250 members in the seven-county metro area. Contracts with Pipefitters Local 455 in St. Paul and Local 539 in Minneapolis cover about 2,400 members in a 12-county area.
Jerry Barnes, business representative for Local 455, said the locals expected to bring proposals for membership votes on May 20 and 21.
The Pipe Trades locals say their contracts also will go to binding arbitration if a settlement is not reached.
? Negotiations continue with Sign, Screen and Display Local 880 for a new sign contract covering about 100 members in the seven-county metro area. That contract, like the others, expired April 30.
? Contracts expire May 31 for Heat and Frost Insulators Local 34 and for Sprinkler Fitters Local 417.
Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org”>advocate@mtn.org