The United Auto Workers Local 2300, representing 1,050 service and maintenance workers, and Cornell announced Friday, Aug. 8, that a new four-year agreement had been ratified by the union's membership. The previous contract expired on June 30, 1997.
In the intervening weeks since an unsuccessful ratification vote on July 1, the parties met twice prior to a Tuesday, Aug. 5, all-day session, with the mutual objective of trying to address those issues that prevented a successful vote on July 1.
Harry Evans, president of Local 2300, and Pete Tufford, director of labor relations and chief negotiator for Cornell, said that the approved contract had been mutually endorsed by both bargaining teams and that both teams had worked creatively to achieve this settlement.
"There was give and take on both sides of the process, and both sides can take pride in the new agreement," they said.
The new contract includes a wage structure that took effect on July 31 and works toward phasing out the former step system. Simultaneously, a structure including hire rates and job rates similar to that voted on in July will gradually be phased in for new and recently hired employees. The continuation of the former step system was one of those important interests of the current union membership that the parties worked creatively to retain. Employees currently in the step system will continue to receive their step adjustments.