Workers at Ford?s Twin Cities Assembly Plant ratified a local contract this week that supplements the United Auto Workers? national agreement with Ford. In voting June 15-16, the contract received 55 percent approval among production workers and 63 percent approval among skilled trades members, said Rob McKenzie, president of UAW Local 879.
The vote comes nine months after ratification of the national agreement, the longest gap in his 26 years at the plant, McKenzie said. However, he said he preferred staying at the bargaining table to the scenario that occurs at many other locals, where members reject a contract two or three times before reaching a settlement on specific plant issues.
The local contract, which primarily covers work rules and physical improvements to the plant, fought off attempts by Ford to weaken seniority, restrict the ability of workers to seek promotions, and eliminate distinctions between dozens of job classifications, McKenzie said. In the end, he said, there are no major changes.
The negotiating committee had recommended ratification.
The local agreement does include a reopener if Ford decides to replace production of the Ranger pickup with another vehicle. Under terms of the national agreement, Ford is required to keep the Twin Cities plant open until at least September 2007.
Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org,
Workers at Ford?s Twin Cities Assembly Plant ratified a local contract this week that supplements the United Auto Workers? national agreement with Ford. In voting June 15-16, the contract received 55 percent approval among production workers and 63 percent approval among skilled trades members, said Rob McKenzie, president of UAW Local 879.
The vote comes nine months after ratification of the national agreement, the longest gap in his 26 years at the plant, McKenzie said. However, he said he preferred staying at the bargaining table to the scenario that occurs at many other locals, where members reject a contract two or three times before reaching a settlement on specific plant issues.
The local contract, which primarily covers work rules and physical improvements to the plant, fought off attempts by Ford to weaken seniority, restrict the ability of workers to seek promotions, and eliminate distinctions between dozens of job classifications, McKenzie said. In the end, he said, there are no major changes.
The negotiating committee had recommended ratification.
The local agreement does include a reopener if Ford decides to replace production of the Ranger pickup with another vehicle. Under terms of the national agreement, Ford is required to keep the Twin Cities plant open until at least September 2007.
Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org,