This strike situation was reported in previous issues of Pay Watch. Multistate-Master Freight Agreement-Trucking Employers, Inc. and Teamsters-350,000 Employees Faced with a potential diminishing of weekly earnings as a result of the Federally-imposed speed limit reduction, the Teamsters requested on December 18 a reopening of the Master Freight Agreement on behalf of over-the-road drivers who are paid on a mileage basis (as reported in previous issues of Pay Watch). Agreement was reached with Trucking Employers, Inc. on March 21 on an expedited grievance procedure for any driver whose earnings are adversely affected because he could not complete a trip within the ICC-regulated driving hour limits. Grievances will go directly to one of four Joint Area Committees (regional labor-management committees established to handle contract problems), with the assurance that the employee will be "made whole" for earnings lost, as measured by normal trip times prior to the speed reduction. The "make whole" stipulation will apply only to mileage-based over-theroad drivers. Local cartage drivers, office and clerical employees, and garage and mechanic workers-the three remaining groups covered under the Master Freight Agreement-will not be affected. TEI and the Teamsters agree that the "make whole" provision will not have an escalating effect in increasing the cost of the 1973 Master Freight Settlement. WHOLESALE TRADE Arizona-Associated Grocers-Teamsters-425 Employees After a seven-day strike, members of Teamsters Local 104 reached agreement on March 17 with Associated Grocers. The Phoenix-based grocery cooperative was negotiating under a reopener on the second year of a two-year agreement, which expires February 28, 1975. Retroactive to March 1, 425 drivers and warehousement will receive an average hourly increase of 31 cents, followed by 20 cents on May 5. These ad justments yield a 10.4 percent wage-on-wage increase, on a ASTHR of $4.89. Effective on July 1, 1974, an uncapped COLA is provided, based on 1 cent for a 0.4 rise in the CPI (1967-100) followed by 1 cent for a 0.3 rise-in alternating fashion. In the benefit area, an extra 5 cents an hour is added to the pension fund, effective March 1, 1974. PB-3 and supporting data will be requested from the parties. Illinois-Chicago Bakery Employers Labor Council-Teamsters1400 Employees Members of Teamsters Local 734 have ratified three separate contracts with the Chicago Bakery Employers Labor Council, which represents four large whole sale bakers as well as restaurants and bakery store owners. The three-year agreements were ratified by mail referendum on March 13, 1974, and are retroactive to November 1, 1973. The bread and cake drivers for wholesale bakers and restaurants receive increases of $7, $6, and $7 per week, payable on November 1 of each year. The average weekly wage rate prior to negotiations was $179.50 per week, plus 5 percent commission on sales over $400 and 7 percent over $500. The drivers for the store-owned operators receive hourly increases of 50 cents (8.7 percent wageon-wage), 40 cents, and 40 cents. Their ASTHR was $5.75 prior to negotiations. There is no COLA provisions in the contracts. Company contributions to the Teamsters Health and Welfare Fund will be lincreased by $4.00 per week in the first year, and $2.00 per week in both the second and third years. Contributions to the pension fund will be increased by by $3.00 per week in the first year, and $2.50 per week in the second and third years. HOTELS Massachusetts-Association of Boston Hotels-Hotel and Restaurant Workers International Union-2300 Employees On March 15, eleven downtown Boston hotels, negotiating as a group, reached agreement on a new three-year contract for the term December 1, 1973, to November 30, 1976, with three locals of the Hotel and Restaurant Workers. A total of approximately 2,300 employees are covered by this new agreement, the successor to a previous three-year contract which expired last year. Negotiations have continued without a strike. Those employees who are classified as "non-gratuity" will receive a 15 cents per hour increase, retroactive to December 1, 1973. Fifteen-cent/hour increases will also be paid to these employees on December 1 of 1974 and 1975. Those employees in the "gratuity" classification will receive general adjustments of 6 cents, 8 cents and 9 cents, effective December 1 of each contract year. The ASTHR for the "on-gratuity" employee is about $2.20, and about $1.40 for the "gratuity" group. Sixty to seventy percent of all the employees covered earn less than $3.50 per hour. There is no COLA provision. Benefits improvements were relatively minor. A fourth week of vacation was added after 20 years of service; previously the maximum was 3 weeks after 10 years. In the second year of the agreement, an additional holiday is granted, for a total of 7. The employers' contribution to the health and welfare fund will increase from 5 cents per hour to 6 cents, effective March 1, 1974, and be increased by an additional penny on March 1 of the succeeding years. Contributions to the pension fund will go from 8 cents an hour to 9 cents effective June 1, 1974, with additional penny increments on June 1 of the following two years. STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT-EDUCATION California-San Francisco-American Federation of Teachers, AFLCIO; Classroom Teachers Association (NEA); Personnel and Guidance Association-5,000 Certified Teachers The San Francisco Board of Education and the teachers represented by the Certified Employees Council (four members from the AFT, four from the NEA, and one member from the Personnel and Guidance Association) reached agreement on March 27, ending a strike which began on March 7 (as reported in previous issues of Pay Watch.). The Memorandum of Understanding, effective July 1, 1974 through June 30, 1975, provides an across-the-board cost of living increase of 6 percent effective July 1, plus a $585 supplement for teachers who have completed three years at top scale. Other adjustments include a reduction in calendar days for some teachers, a mileage increase, and increases for substitute teachers. Additional details will be furnished by the Superintendent's Office for next week's Pay Watch. The agreement was approved in executive session by the Board of Education on March 26, and ratified by the AFT on March 27. All teachers have returned to work. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT-NON-EDUCATION Pennsylvania-Philadelphia-Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge No. 5-8,200 Police Officers A new two-year contract, which will cost the City of Philadelphia $22 milclion, provides 7,500 police officers an across-the-board increase of 8.3 percent effective on July 1, 1975. Each officer will receive a pay raise of at least $1,000 per year. The minimum retirement age for police officers with 20 years on the force will be reduced gradually-from the present age of 50 to 48 on July 1, 1974, to 46 on July 1, 1975, and to 45 on July 1, 1976. Life insurance benefits were increased from $6,000 to $7,000 on July 1, 1974, and to $8,000 on July 1, 1975. Contributions to the health and welfare plan were increased $3.00 per month on July 1, 1974, and an additional $3.00 per month on July 1, 1975. PB-3 forms and supporting data will be requested from the parties. Missouri-Kansas City-International Association of Fire Fighters -850 Firefighters On March 22 the City Council of Kansas City approved a new two-year agreement, ending a salary dispute between Fire Fighters Local 42 and the city. The agreement provides an 11 percent increase in the first year (8 percent effec tive May 1, 1974, and 3 percent effective November 1, 1974), and an 8 percent increase in the second year (5 percent effective May 1, 1975, and 3 percent effective November 1, 1975). The Fire Fighters will get an additional 3 days off each year, reducing their weekly work schedule from 51.5 to 50 hours. This reduction in hours represents and additional 2.3 percent in net wage adjustment. PB-3 forms will be requested from the parties. (Tabular material was also attached entitled "Significant Work Stoppages and Potential Strike Situations.") |