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Why We Negotiate Master Agreements
In the past IP would negotiate contracts one location at a time, pitting workers at different facilities against each other in order to drive down wages and benefits.
This led to a series of labor disputes in the late 1980s with 4,500 workers locked-out or on strike during one of the most chaotic periods in the history of the paper industry.
While those events led to almost two decades of turmoil, they also created solidarity and resolve within the union to design a better bargaining process.
After years of struggle, we won a process that includes representation and input from all locals to negotiate a company-wide master agreement.
In 2007, we negotiated our first Master Agreements for IP mills and converters, and for the first time, it was our union that set the pattern.
Since then, we have continued to bargain major issues including wage increases, health insurance, retirement benefits and safety together. Other site-specific issues are negotiated locally every three years.
Our Contract
Our contract is made up of the Master Agreement and our Local Agreement together. The Master Agreement applies to all of the union facilities and covers the major economic issues while the Local Agreement covers local issues such as working conditions, schedules, lines of progression, job descriptions, shift differentials and other items.