Coke Contract Ratified for Over 500 in New England (1/27/10)

Long and difficult negotiations culminated in an overwhelming ratification of a new five-year pact for over 500 RWDSU Local 513 members in New England on Sunday, January 24. The workers, who are employed at Coca-Cola plants in Needham, Braintree, and Waltham (all in Massachusetts) approved a contract that has numerous improvements.

“The company came after us hard from all angles, trying to undermine our previous contract and even the union itself,” said New England Joint Board President Tina Buonagurio. “They wanted to take away holidays, wanted to change seniority rules, they wanted to tear the old contract apart. But the negotiating committee fought right back and we were able to present the membership with a contract we could recommend.”

Negotiations stretched to the last minute and a final 28-hour bargaining session. In the end, the resulting contract protected previous gains and instituted new ones.

Members will receive a 25 cent hourly raise the first year, and two percent increases in pay in each of the next four years. Weekly disability pay will increase $75, and there will be an increase in the pension multiplier.

“Probably the biggest thing we were concerned about was the health care plan,” said Wayne Reissfelder, a driver in Braintree. “They wanted to replace it with a new plan that would have greatly increased out of pocket costs for members. We were able to fight this back and keep the plan we have.”

The company also went after the union itself, trying to implement language that would allow them to outsource a number of union jobs and create part-time positions in the plants.

“This was an outrageous concession demand, and one that they sprung on us at the last minute,” Buonagurio said. “It was unacceptable and we kept it out of the contract. This was also the case for management attempts to change many of the full-time jobs to part-time jobs. We have a 40-hour workweek in our previous contracts, and we kept it that way for the new one.”