Last week Washington-Baltimore News Guild members at the United Food and Commercial Workers union ratified a successor collective bargaining agreement that included large raises, increased telework and vacation time increases after workers struck for one day in May and planned for a longer unfair labor practice strike.
The NewsGuild-CWA Executive Council and the Communications Workers of America Executive Board endorsed the strike request by UFCW workers, the first time an open-ended strike has been approved by the Guild and CWA against another union. The settlement also follows a recent deal and end of a lockout at the National Education Association, where NEASO members were locked out by the union for a month after a ULP strike.
Highlights of the 3-year contract include:
- 30 days of telework available to all Guild members, an increase from the last contract
- Annual 4% wage increases for each of the three years of the contract
- Retroactive pay increases back to January
- $1,500 signing bonus
- Elimination of 2 of the lowest-paying pay grades, resulting in wage increases of up to 22%
- Increases to the 401(k) employer match
- Addition of the Wednesday before Thanksgiving as a full-day paid holiday
- Vacation time increase to 4 weeks after 7 years of service and 6 weeks after 30 years
- Transportation benefit increased from $200 to $250
- Access to bereavement leave for members experiencing a miscarriage
“Thanks to the strong collective action of our membership and backing of our parent unions, this contract reflects serious improvements where UFCW fell behind as an employer,” said Tabitha Niemann, a UFCW Guild leader. “Wage increases of 4% a year – and even larger increases for our lowest-paid members – will allow our members to afford to live in the cities where we work.
“Increases in telework and vacation will mean improvements to work-life balance and productivity. This contract will mean improved recruitment and retention at the UFCW – ultimately benefiting UFCW’s members.”
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