A three-year contract covering 235 production and maintenance workers at Lake Erie Products in Frankfort, Ind., was overwhelmingly accepted Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006. More than 80 percent of members who cast votes were in favor of the contract – their first since joining the United Steelworkers in 2005.

The big reason the contract was so heartily accepted? For many, it was simply about some immediate financial gain.

“We had instances where we had $8 per hour discrepancies for workers doing the same job. The wage system here was an absolute mess,” said Steelworkers District 7 Sub-Director Randy McKay. “Within six months of the signing of this contract all workers will be placed into the pay scales that we negotiated that are based on time served on the job. Including annual pay raises, this new contract will provide an average increase of about $2.38 per hour for all workers.”

Under the old system, workers were subject to a yearly “review” process and were often working at the same pay rate year after year. There were several instances where younger workers were making more than their counterparts with more seniority – solely at the discretion of the company.

Negotiators also were able to freeze the percentage rates at which health care premiums can rise the next two years, with a guarantee of no more than a five percent increase in the third year.

“Personally, I think capping those rates was huge,” said Bruce Mosson, a member of the negotiating committee. “That is a great benefit to have.”   For others, however, securing the new contract was less about what was gained in money and benefits and more about the way workers will now be treated.

“Before we ever started negotiating, we took a poll of what was important to the workers,” said Local 9510 Vice President Rocky J. Bell. “One of the top vote getters was `fairness.’ Now that we have a union, the company is forced to listen to us. Now, we have the ability to make changes … positive changes. That’s what this is all about.”

Workers at Lake Erie Products specialize in producing bolts for a variety of customers in the automotive, agricultural and heavy machinery industries. They are proud to be known as USW Local Union 9510.

For more information, contact the USW at 1-877-511-8792
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