*Tyson And BPI Workers Vote In Favor of the UFCW New Contract*

Posted: Aug 9, 2009 05:15 PM

In order for the contracts to change, union members needed two thirds of the workers to vote yes.  Today, after hours of negotiations, votes were counted, and 85 percent of the workers voted in favor of the new contract.

Union and Tyson officials have spent the last few weeks working diligently to come up with the compromise.  Today the agreement was presented and workers got the opportunity to voice their opinions.

Before the meeting electrician Tony Gigeroa voiced his concerns.  "What's it going to be like back at work?  I mean, if it's a good deal, great, everyone gets what they want and it's all good. But what's it going to be like if we don't, I mean how the attitudes are going to be"

Tyson workers will now have better insurance with more affordable premiums.  Their wages will increase totaling by $1.55 over the course of the four and a half year contract.

UFCW executive Marvin Harrington thinks the meeting went well and most of the workers left satisfied with the results.  " Overall they were very happy, with the economy the way it is and the world right now, we feel we got a real decent deal, now we got four and a half years to continue working and having jobs." said Harrington

There were close to 1800 people involved in the voting process, and for the fifteen percent that voted no, most said they weren't happy about the insurance changes.

Members of the UFCW Local 222 also ratified a new five year agreement with Beef Products Incorporated. Their wages will increase by a total $1.66.