With Local 342 standing beside you, your voice will be heard.
Of course your company would rather you did NOT have a way to get wage increases, paid sick and vacation days, etc. Without a contract, your boss can make promises and then break them. With a Local 342 contract and representative beside you, we will make sure your contract is followed.
Below is a list of priority items that are part of all Local 342 contracts. Remember, YOU vote on your final contract. Nothing is FINAL until a majority of workers approve it.
Wages: All employees shall receive regular wage increases each year depending on how many years your contract is, which is normally for three to four years. This covers all classifications, full-time employees and also part-time employees.
Classification: All employees shall be classified and a complete description of their job duties and responsibilities will be negotiated and they shall be paid properly for their skills.
Hours: All employees will be paid time and a half their hourly rate in overtime for hours worked over eight (8) hours per day or forty (40) hours per week. All employees will be entitled to lunch periods and breaks depending on how many hours worked in a day. The employer will be required to, one week prior, post a schedule of work for all employees. This schedule will not be able to be changed unless consented on by the Union and the employee.
Health Care Benefit: Each employee shall have health care benefits that shall be paid for by the Employer and there will be no cost by the employee.
Retirement Benefit: The employer will either contribute to an Annuity Fund on behalf of each employee or will establish a pension. In an Annuity Fund, the Employer puts money each month into an annuity account for each employee. This account becomes the employees and remains his/her own account until such time he/she retires.
Vacations: A vacation period will be negotiated for each employee.
Holidays: Holidays will be negotiated for all employees. In addition, pay for worked holidays will be negotiated for time and a half their hourly rate.
Sick Leave: Sick leave will be negotiated for all employees. Pay for unused sick time will also be negotiated.
Funeral Leave: Funeral leave will be negotiated with extended leave for families overseas.
Representation/Grievance Procedure: If at any time the employer takes an action against any employee, for any reason, or fails to follow the contract then the employee can seek representation from the Union against the employer. The Union will represent the employee to make sure the employee’s rights and contract is being lived up to. Once the employee demands Union representation, Federal Law protects that employee and the employer must wait till the Union is present before talking to the employee about taking disciplinary action. The Union will provide attorneys and bare all the cost of representation pertaining to the contract. If the problem does not get resolved at shop level or plant level then the Union shall then take the case to arbitration. An Arbitrator (Judge) will decide the case.
Safety: The language will be negotiated for the employer to provide a safe and healthy workplace. No employee shall be required to work in unsafe or unhealthy conditions.
Uniforms and Tools: The employer is required to provide all tools and uniforms necessary to perform the job covered under each classification at no cost to the employee. If at any time the equipment or tools become damaged it is the employer’s responsibility to maintain and repair such equipment and tools.
Union Visitation: The Union shall have the right to visit the employee any time during normal working hours to make sure the employer is following the contract and that all the employees’ rights are upheld.