IAM District 10 in Milwaukee, WI successfully negotiated a new 6 year agreement with Ladish Company located in Cudahy, WI recently that demonstrates what can be achieved when all sides honor the requirement to bargain in good faith. Assistant Directing Business Representative Scott Parr and Business Representative Pat O'Connor led the negotiations for the IAM and the five other unions at the facility.
The six unions at Ladish inked new agreements months ahead of the contract deadline. "The parties agreed to try early negotiations and it was successful. It's unprecedented, especially in the current climate of strained labor relations at many companies," said ADBR Scott Parr. "To herd that many cats in one direction, toward a common goal, is probably also unprecedented."
Ladish is an aerospace manufacturer that was recently purchased by Allegheny Technologies in a deal that brought more work to the Cudahy, WI plant.
The terms of the new agreement include annual 3% wage increases, no change in the employee contribution toward health insurance, better dental coverage, an increase in the company contribution to the IAM Pension Plan in each year of the agreement, an increase in disability pay, and a fifth week of vacation for more employees.
"If you take the last contract, and this one, it's a 36% wage increase over 12 years," Parr said. "This shows what a union and a cooperative company can do when there is a good relationship."
The new contracts begin to go into effect on March 1, 2012.
"We probably got this done in five or six meetings," said Parr. "Neither party started with a lot of crazy positions that required lengthy negotiations."
Ladish employees receive profit sharing checks as well. In 2010, the checks represented 7.26% of employees annual earnings.
"Am I going to hold this as my banner with other companies? You bet I am," said ADBR Scott Parr.
IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Philip J. Gruber praised IAM District 10 ADBR Scott Parr, BR Pat O'Connor and the committees at Ladish saying, "We sincerely appreciate the commitment the District 10 leadership and the IAM leadership at Ladish Co. has to making sure our members receive the wages, benefits and working conditions they deserve."
