Parker Hannifin Lord Workers Ratify New Agreement by 95%
You cannot overstate the importance of negotiations. Negotiations hold the keys to getting ahead in the workplace, developing consistency, and resolving conflict. Organizing begins to level the scales of power, and negotiations are only possible when both parties are on equal footing and have a stake in the success of reaching an agreement. An agreement happens when both parties find common ground.
Through Good Faith Bargaining management and the Erie facility workers, the sister facility of Parker Hannifin Lord Saegertown agreed to a new five-year agreement. Ninety-five percent of workers at the Erie, Pennsylvania facility voted to accept. Once again, Erie workers can rely on wage increases, locked-in benefits, and a voice in the workplace policy. The new contract preserved the ability to address issues through a fair grievance procedure and maintained appropriate and valuable rights and protections.
Highlights of the agreement:
- A wage increase of 3% each year over the contract’s life and .25 flat rate increases added throughout the contract.
- Elimination of the two-tier pay scale. All workers move into the first tier and receive additional wage increases by progression above the general/flat rate wage increase.
- The average wage in 2022 will exceed $30.00 an hour.
- Negotiations enable the opportunity to bargain something better than the Parker Hannifin corporate enterprise healthcare initiative.
- Pension – yearly contributions by the employer are one dollar per year of the contract.
- Many improvements in non-economic areas.
Hopefully, the overview answers some of the questions we received from the workers at Saegertown. These benefits, rights, and protections have been negotiated and developed over years of negotiations between management and the membership. Each organized location differs based on the membership’s input, and no two contracts are exactly alike.
The Erie plant membership overwhelmingly voted to accept a new agreement that included their voice while maintaining the Erie, Pennsylvania facility’s continued success. The IAM membership and management work together in Erie, and the workers have a real voice.
FYI – On March 3rd, management at the Saegertown facility sent out an email. Unfortunately, the email provides insight into how some managers and human resources plan to keep your group from organizing. It is apparent from the March 3rd email that some managers are willing to mislead, resort to calling the union names, and deploy tactics that include fear to maintain the current status quo. The few in Saegertown who feel they will lose power by having a process that provides rights, protections and a voice to Saegertown workers need to start respecting you by ending their intimidation and scare tactics. Let those few managers and HR representatives know you will not be Bullied.
To form a union at the workplace is your decision and your right –