The agreement was ratified Monday by a majority vote by IAM members at Polar’s manufacturing facility. IAM District 165, Local 623, represents approximately 365 employees.

The new contract, which includes the addition of a third and fourth shift, replaces the three-year agreement that expired Nov. 30 and ends the strike called Dec. 1 by the local when earlier negotiations broke down.

Colleen Murphy-Cooney, business agent for the union, told the St. Cloud Times the contract has three primary changes from its initial form. Language that union representatives felt undermined job security was removed, job descriptions for each classification had one level instead of two, and a provision was made to allow employees who work 36 hours to get paid for 40 hours if that time included weekend shifts.

Murphy-Cooney said the accepted contract includes a section that reads: The company agrees not to engage in a concerted expansion of subcontracted work for the sole purpose of eliminating members from the bargaining unit.