Local 12075-24 at DuPont’s Midland, Mich., plant successfully decoupled training and wages, gained wage increases, resolved pay issues and simplified the career progression system in the new contract members ratified in April after three votes.
By mid-June, the last items negotiated in the contract will be put into place, said Local 12075-24 unit president Nathan LaFollette.
“The company was aware of the tight labor market up here, and they were willing to compromise on some historical grievances that frustrated the members, such as how training and pay were coupled together,” LaFollette said. “If a worker’s training was not finished, they would not get the higher wage rate. People were doing those jobs, but not getting the extra compensation.”
“By decoupling training and wages, we opened the field for folks to get the higher paying operations jobs,” he said.
The local negotiated a four-year agreement for some 200 operators and logistics workers.
Wage increases for the first year ranged from 2.5 percent to 7 percent, depending upon the person’s production or logistics classification and pay level. Rate increases for the remaining three years are 2.3 percent, 2.3 percent and 2.7 percent.
Workers will get a $1,500 retention bonus on Jan. 1, 2023.
DuPont will simplify its pay practice regarding how overtime and shift differential are calculated that will increase annual compensation by up to 3.8 percent for members, depending on their shift schedule.
Local union negotiators removed the roadblocks from the career progression system that prevented logistics workers from obtaining operator jobs. Previously, they underwent third-party administered testing, and the path for advancement had the potential for favoritism, LaFollette said. The union replaced this process by counting a worker’s merit and experience for the higher-paying operator position.
The union also expanded the grievance process for probationary members by allowing them to grieve a termination.
“It was a long negotiating process, but we are happy with the pay raises, and the wage increases are moving in the right direction,” LaFollette said.