Shipyard workers at Vigor Industrial LLC in Portland and Puget Sound overwhelmingly rejected a three-year master contract proposal in voting held in both locations Jan. 15.
The master agreement falls under the direction of the national Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO. Side agreements are bargained separately by the Metal Trades Council of Portland and Vicinity, the Puget Sound Metal Trades Council, and Boilermakers Local 104.
More than 1,000 employees at those locations have been working under the terms of an extended master collective bargaining agreement that expired Sept. 1, 2017. That deal was the result of an extension to side agreements with the respective metal trades counsels that expired Nov. 30, 2016. The master contract’s original expiration date was June 1, 2017.
Changes in health insurance plans with higher deductibles, and a “rolling 40” for overtime when called back from layoff during the week were key issues in workers rejecting the contract proposal, said Robert Petroff, a union rep for Machinists District Lodge W 24.
At press time, no new bargaining dates had been set.
Metal trades craft unions represent workers at Vigor Marine Portland, Cascade General Portland, Washington Marine Repair Seattle, Vigor Marine Seattle, and Vigor Shipyard Seattle. Vigor Marine Portland and Vigor Marine Seattle operate as a single company.
Nearly a dozen craft unions are affiliated with the respective metal trades councils in Oregon and Washington. They include Plumbers and Fitters, Machinists, Electricians, Laborers, Painters, Operating Engineers, Teamsters, Sheet Metal Workers, Insulators, and Boilermakers.
