Contract Ratified at Eaton-Cooper

The IBEW 1245 members employed at Eaton-Cooper Lighting voted to approve a new contract on October 24, 2014.   The terms of the new agreement went into effect on November 1, 2014 and will remain active until October 31, 2017.

Highlights include

• A $1,500.00 lump sum payment paid out one week after ratification
• A .50 cent per hour increase along with a $250.00 lump sum on November 1, 2015
• Another .50 cent per hour increase on November 1, 2016
• An additional week of vacation (a total of 5 weeks) after 25 years of service
• An increase from $70.00 to $100.00 towards work shoes reimbursement on an annual basis
• An allowance of $75.00 every other year in order to allow employees to purchase progressive lens safety glasses

Under the new agreement, the members will keep their current medical plan until December 31, 2015. The company has agreed to pay the Employers Managed Health Care Trust of California from $700.00 to $800.00 for medical, dental, and vision coverage.  Effective January 1, 2016 the company will provide the Eaton Corporation Flexible Benefits Program. The program includes medical, dental, vision, employee life insurance, health care reimbursement account plan and dependent care, reimbursement account plan, AD&D insurance and long term disability coverage. The savings in premiums with the Eaton Corp plan are significant and will reduce costs by as much as $16,000.00 for family coverage.

“Overall, the membership is very pleased with the new CBA and it was ratified with a 95% “yes” vote,” said IBEW 1245 Business Representative Cruz Serna. “They appreciate the fact that the union included everyone in the process by allowing the members to submit a proposals and questions, and they also appreciate the hard work their co-workers did during bargaining.”

The negotiating committee included Assistant Business Manager Ray Thomas, Business Representative Cruz Serna, Shop Steward Darcelle Sattler, Shop Steward Norman O’Brian and employee Fred Linder.