The IBEW 1245 members at Well Rural Electric Co. (REC) unanimously ratified a new four-year agreement by a vote of 11-0, and the agreement has been accepted by the Cooperative’s Board.
The agreement includes a 3% wage increase on the first of the year during each of the four years that the contract will be in effect (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020). Rest periods have been increased from 8 hours to 9.5 hours, and compensation for working during a rest period has been increased from 1.5x to 2x. An ad hoc committee has been established for four ten-hour shifts, and the agreement also provides. clarification of Long Term Disability. Additionally, the new agreement establishes a Meter Tech Apprenticeship at the same wage as the Lineworker Apprenticeship.
The bargaining committee was comprised of Lineman Willis Bland and Line Foreman Jacob Manning.
–Randy Osborn, IBEW 1245 Business Rep