Steel Workers ratify three-year contract
A new three-year agreement has been reached between the county and members of the United Steel Workers Union. It brings to a close more than a year of negotiations between the county personnel committee and the union, which represents courthouse employees. The contract, which was ratified by the union February 24 on a 13-5 vote, still needs approval from the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners.
THE BOARD is waiting for the signed contract from the union, with the new language included, before it accepts it. The union includes much of the clerical staff at the courthouse. The deal is retroactive to January 1, 2004 and will expire December 31, 2006. The old contract ended December 2002. The union approved wage increases of two percent the first two years and a three percent increase in 2006. The union sent a letter to the commissioners last Friday, notifying them of their vote last week, and while a new deal has been settled on, some union members have been left with an unsettling feeling with the way talks went for more than 14 months.
SOME OF those thoughts were expressed in their letter, said personnel committee member Bob Schell, who was involved in the negotiations. Bob Daleski, USWU sub-district director from Alpena, said the union ?is not happy with it (contract),? and believe they were put into a take-it-or-leave it position by the county. Schell believes a contract could have been settled sooner if information at the negotiating sessions had been properly conveyed to union members. He also said the union dragged its feet and didn?t share information with the personnel committee, which could have moved the process along.
The commissioners could approve the contract at their next meeting March 10, if the contract is ready for them to finalize.