IAM members of Local Lodge 23, Local Savannah, GA; Local 414, Rome, GA and Local 1002, Hemingway, SC recently ratified a six-year contract extension of the International Paper Mill Master Agreement. Contract negotiations were held the first week of March 2014 in Little, Rock AR and included representatives from 19 separate mill locations.
“Representatives of the IAM, Steelworkers Union, IBEW, the Boilermakers, and the United Association worked well together accomplishing this bargaining achievement.,” said IAM Director of Collective Bargaining Tom O’Heron. “The Brothers and Sisters represented by these unions can be proud. They held the line and didn’t back down.”
Highlights of the agreement are wage increases of 13.25% over the term of the agreement and a Pension Multiplier increase to $52.50 in 2015 and $55 in 2017 for all bargaining unit employees.
Highlights also included increases in Sickness and Accident, Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefits and a transition in Healthcare plans.
Other agreement improvements include Successorship language, union participation on the Primary Mill Joint Pension Council and a commitment to work jointly on public policy and health and safety issues. The membership will also benefit from a Manufacturing Training Initiative intended to address new hire integration, training, and maintenance structure redesign.
