Workers at Kraft Food’s plant in Davenport, Iowa have secured a new union contract that secures wage increases, pension gains, and preserves affordable health care for workers and their families.
A majority of Kraft workers in the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 431 union voted to accept a new contract on Tuesday evening (28 June).
Union members have expressed their satisfaction with the new contract, meaning that Kraft workers will earn some of the best wages in the industry. Wages will reportedly be raised US$1.15 an hour over the term of the contract, and workers will receive another 30 cents increase next April and 25 cents in each of the next two years.
Up to 300 workers will also receive job classification increases, which put them in a higher wage bracket.
John Honeycutt, UFCW Local 431 president, said: “The workers in the plant were well-represented on the bargaining committee by their co-workers. Our membership stuck together and negotiated what was most important to them. They achieved a fair contract, and they’re satisfied with the results.”
Approximately 1,600 UFCW Local 431 members in and around Davenport, Iowa are affected by the new contract.
