Anchor Bargaining Basics

The upcoming negotiations with Anchor Glass cover approximately 1,000 members at five locations across the country in the Hot End (Automatic Machine Department) and the Cold End (Production and Maintenance Department).

Our contract clearly states the terms and conditions of our employment for both bargaining unit members and management. A contract means that management cannot decide on their own to cut wages and benefits, fire employees, play favorites, change schedules and holidays, or make other changes that can harm us, and it provides us with an effective way to challenge actions the employer takes.

The USW GMP Council, Glass Council leadership, our Local Unions and USW staff will all play a role in these negotiations which are led by Claude Beaudin, GMP Council Chairman for the Hot End and Cold END.

We reach a fair contract by working together. The company is not going to “give” us anything. It never has and it never will. Like most employers, Anchor improves wages, benefits or working conditions only when it is forced to do so.

We will need to show management our solidarity and determination in order to resist the company’s attempts for unnecessary concessions and achieve our goals during bargaining.

Negotiations take place at the bargaining table where representatives from the employer and our USW Bargaining Committee come together to discuss proposals that address our issues.

Both sides caucus (meet separately), make counter-proposals, test out ideas and look for ways to bridge differences.

Neither the company nor the union will get 100% of what it puts on the table, but if management knows that we are unified, we will be more likely to reach a fair contract.

The parties can discuss any issue affecting the workplace. Generally, contract proposals fall into one of two categories:

(1) Economic proposals, such as wages, paid time off, health insurance, pensions or Sickness and Accident benefits, and

(2) Non-economic items, such as safety standards, seniority, and the grievance and arbitration procedure.

Local union representatives and their management counterparts who are familiar with the details will discuss and resolve issues specific to a plant. These are often referred to as “Local Agreements” and are put in writing and signed by the Local Union and the Local Plant Management.

You can receive text message updates on your cell phone if you want the latest news from bargaining.

Text Anchor to 47486

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