June 26, 2009
One hundred-seventy members of Local 906 in Anaheim, CA, are back on the job at Cytec Industries this week after ratifying a new contract that ended a six-week strike against the manufacturer of aerospace components.
The walkout was triggered when the company proposed a so-called “Zipper Clause” for the new contract that would have prohibited the use of prior grievance settlements and arbitration decisions as the basis for resolving future grievances.
The members also balked at the company’s forced overtime proposals and changes to established seniority language that would have significantly impacted workers’ bidding, layoff and recall rights.
“Wage rates were not a central issue in this particular dispute, but the company’s language changes would have dramatically altered working conditions at the facility and eliminated basic seniority and due process rights,” said Collective Bargaining Department Coordinator Jim Price, who praised the Local 906 bargaining committee and the District 725 staff for standing up for good contract language.
The members of Local 906 voted by 90 percent to accept a revised contract that was brokered with help from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services.
“The importance of the contract language that these men and women were fighting for cannot be overstated,” said Western Territory GVP-elect Gary Allen. “Without strong due process and seniority language, members can be exposed to unfair treatment without effective recourse. I’d also like to thank District 725 DBR Gary Holt and District 75 BR Al Rosales for their assistance in this important victory.”
