Michigan Local 435 Members at H.B. Fuller Ratify Contract With Massive Gains 

IAM District 60 is celebrating a recent major contract win at H.B. Fuller in Michigan.

 IAM Local 435 Bargaining Committee members Richard Dawson, Alan Lowe, Jacob Hildebrand, and District 60 Business Representative Heather Hildebrand attended a negotiations preparation class at the IAM’s William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center before entering bargaining. 

IAM Local 435 represents 170 members at H.B. Fuller’s Michigan Center facility.

“The Committee did a fantastic job in negotiations, “ said District 60 Business Representative Heather Hildebrand. “For all but one committee member, this was their first time being on the Bargaining Committee. They had the members’ trust,  assumed their role earnestly, and represented the membership very well.”

Hildebrand sat on the Bargaining Committee in negotiations with the company in 2018 when she was a member of Local 435.

“Going five years, after taking some losses in the 2018 contract to now having bargained much of it back, this is a huge win for the group,” said Hildebrand. 

The negotiations lasted a full three weeks before a tentative agreement was reached. The last session of bargaining lasted 15 hours but produced a new three-year contract with impressive gains.

“Thanks to Business Representative Heather Hildebrand and the Local 435 Committee’s hard work at the table, we are celebrating impressive enhancements in this contract,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “I appreciate the dedication from this committee, putting in long hours to reach an agreement that serves our membership well.”

The IAM Local 435/H.B. Fuller contract highlights include:

– Reduced probationary period from 180 days to 160 days
– Strict guidelines on temporary employees
– Guaranteed time with new hires at orientation
– Improvements to funeral leave
– More than doubled shift premiums, from 35 cents to 75 cents
– Removal of company-determined performance-based wage increases and secured standard wage increases for all employees
– 3.5% wage increases in years 2 and 3 of the agreement
– Ratification bonus of $1,000

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