"They passed it by 90 percent," reported Michelle Sommers, president of Minneapolis-based ATU Local 1005. The vote took place May 4.
Local 1005 helped the 50-worker Rochester unit organize last year. The workers voted overwhelmingly to join ATU Local 1005 Aug. 18 in a National Labor Relations Board election. Employer protests, however, delayed the actual vote count until Oct. 3.
With the new contract, Sommers said, the workers gained "improvements in wages, health care and working conditions."
"We are pleased we were able to get a first contract in less than a year," Sommers said. "That\'s important. It actually got done fairly quickly."
Sommers credited Rochester City Lines for negotiating in good faith once the NLRB certified the union election. "Both sides worked together well to come up with the agreement," she said.
She declined to provide specific details about the contract because Rochester City Lines is a privately-owned company.
"We are now working on work rules with the employer," Sommers added.
Steve Share edits the Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. Visit the federation\'s website, www.minneapolisunions.org
Share
"They passed it by 90 percent," reported Michelle Sommers, president of Minneapolis-based ATU Local 1005. The vote took place May 4.
Local 1005 helped the 50-worker Rochester unit organize last year. The workers voted overwhelmingly to join ATU Local 1005 Aug. 18 in a National Labor Relations Board election. Employer protests, however, delayed the actual vote count until Oct. 3.
With the new contract, Sommers said, the workers gained "improvements in wages, health care and working conditions."
"We are pleased we were able to get a first contract in less than a year," Sommers said. "That\’s important. It actually got done fairly quickly."
Sommers credited Rochester City Lines for negotiating in good faith once the NLRB certified the union election. "Both sides worked together well to come up with the agreement," she said.
She declined to provide specific details about the contract because Rochester City Lines is a privately-owned company.
"We are now working on work rules with the employer," Sommers added.
Steve Share edits the Labor Review, the official publication of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. Visit the federation\’s website, www.minneapolisunions.org