Millwrights Local 548 became the last construction union to ratify a new contract, which members approved by a 3-1 margin in voting June 8 and 9.

Iron Workers Local 512, Operating Engineers Local 49, Painters Locals 61 and 386, and Plasterers Local 265 settled earlier in June, continuing the momentum begun when the Carpenters, Cement Masons, Laborers, Pile Drivers, Lathers and Bricklayers all ratified contracts in late May.

Many of the eventual settlements contained general increases in the range of $1.85 an hour, with some of the later settlements even higher than that. In the building trades, such increases typically are allocated among hourly wages, health insurance, pension and other benefits. Most of the unions had rejected earlier proposals for general increases in the range of $1.60.

A rundown :

Bricklayers Local 1. Settled a new contract and stopped withholding services on May 30. The three-year contract grants increases of $1.95, $2.00 and $2.00.

Carpenters Locals 87, 851 and 1644 and Pile Drivers Local 1847. On May 31, Carpenters ratified a highway/heavy contract by a 4-1 margin statewide. The four-year proposal offered increases of $1.85, $1.85, $1.80 and $1.80 in the Twin Cities metro area, with amounts elsewhere in the state ranging from $4.55 to $6.80 over the life of the contract. The May 31 ratification came two weeks after a vote on the same contract was inconclusive.

On May 23, the Carpenters and Pile Drivers approved a three-year contract covering commercial, residential and drywall work in the metro area that provides increases of $1.85, $1.85 and $1.80.

Earlier, the Carpenters ratified separate four-year contracts for Rochester and surrounding counties, St. Cloud, Mankato, and western Minnesota. Increases range from $4.55 to $5.60 over the life of these contracts.

Cement Masons Local 633. Ratified a commercial contract May 21 providing increases of $1.85, $1.85 and $1.80 an hour. Ratified a highway/heavy contract May 23 providing increases of $1.85, $1.85, $1.80 and $1.80.

Members had walked off the job May 7 but returned to work May 17 after reaching the tentative agreements that members ratified.

Iron Workers Local 512. Ratified a three-year contract on June 5, exactly one month after members began striking some projects and withholding services on others. The contract provides increases of $2.15, $2.10 and $2.10.

Laborers Local 132 and 563. Ratified a new agreement in voting May 24 among members of Local 563 and May 17 among members of Local 132. The three-year deal provides increases of $1.65, $1.65 and $1.60.

The Laborers had walked off the job May 7, but resumed work May 14 after reaching the agreement that members ratified. The ratification in Local 563 followed a vote one week earlier in which overall results were inconclusive.

Lathers Local 190. A three-year contract, ratified May 24, provides general increases of $1.85, $1.85 and $1.80. Members remained on the job during the dispute.

Millwrights Local 548. Ratified a three-year proposal with increases of $1.88, $1.85 and $1.85 per year. Members remained on the job during the dispute.

Operating Engineers Local 49. Ratified a builders contract on June 4, providing increases of $1.85, $1.85 and $1.80. Members had remained on the job, despite rejecting earlier offers on May 24 and May 5.

In April, the local had ratified a contract for the 100 or so members who do highway work.

Painters Locals 61 and 386. Members, who had been on strike since May 1, returned to work June 4 after ratifying a painters contract June 1 and a drywall finishers contract June 2. The three-year deals provide increases of $1.85, $1.85 and $1.85.

Plasterers Local 265. Ratified a three-year deal June 5 providing increases of $1.90, $1.90 and $1.90. Members had remained on the job when their contract expired May 31.

As many as 8,000 construction workers had been on strike or 'withholding services' at various points in May after contracts expired April 30 between unions, Associated General Contractors and a variety of specialized contractor associations.

Even among striking trades, the dispute remained relatively invisible, with picketing taking place only at contractors' shops and selected job sites. Most of the unions continued working without a contract or under interim agreements, as did workers covered by project-labor agreements.

For unions that were 'withholding services,' members didn't work but didn't picket, either. That allowed other trades to remain on the job.

Michael Kuchta is editor of The Union Advocate, the official publication of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. This article is updated from one written for the June 6 issue. Used by permission. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org