The District Website will keep an archive of the 2009 GKN Negotiations available here for your reference.

Membership Accepts GKN Contract with 691 Vote Yes to accept and 87 voting to reject at January 18, 2009 Contract Meeting.

Click here to read the Press Release Announcing the Results

Click here for Event Photos

GKN NOTICE OF SPECIAL CONTRACT RATIFICATION MEETING

January 16, 2009 11:30 A. M.
GKN has made a new contract proposal to the District with significant enough changes to warrant a new contract ratification vote. The vote will take place on Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 10:00 A. M. and will be held at the Plumbers & Pipefitters Hall, Local 562 located at 12385 Larimore Road, St. Louis, MO 63138. Doors will open at 9:00 A. M. This meeting will take place to review the proposed changes, answer any questions members may have then move on to a single vote to accept or reject the latest offer. (You have already given strike authorization and, per the Constitution, it remains in effect until a contract is ratified.)
S/T DeWitt Darity is asking those who worked at last Sunday's meeting to arrive at 8:00 A. M. for assignments at this Sunday's meeting.

Entire Union Bargaining Committee Recommends Acceptance of GKN Offer - Click Here to view Document.

Electronic version of all proposed changes that will be voted on Sunday, January 18, 2009 available here.

A summary of the changes is listed below and an electronic version will be made as soon as it arrives at the District. Copies of the proposal are being printed for shop distribution now.

Highlights of Tentative Agreement from GKN

1. Contract Term 12 January 2009 - 22 January 2012

2. Wages GWI 1st
year 3%

2nd year 3%

3rd year 3%

Schedule A GWI COLA Roll In Represents $1.57

Classification Minimum Rate Current Rate 2009
3% Increase 2009 Plus COLA of 2008 2010
3% Increase 2011
3% Increase

Bonding Mechanic
$14.00 $27.51 $28.34 $29.91 $30.80 $31.73

Machinist
$14.00
$28.03
$28.87
$30.44
$31.35
$32.29

Machine Repair Mechanic
$15.00 $28.19 $29.04 $30.61 $31.52 $32.47

Process Operator
$11.00 $26.17 $26.96 $28.53 $29.38 $30.26

Spray Painter
$11.00 $26.59 $27.39 $28.96 $29.83 $30.72

Pipefitter
$15.00
$27.95
$28.79
$30.36
$31.27
$32.21

Metal Fabricator
$14.00 $27.63 $28.46 $30.03 $30.93 $31.86

3. Pension

GKN Pension Plan increased from $55 to $65 for all years of service in the GKN Pension Plan.

4. Lump Sum Bonus

$1,000.00-----Paid by January 30, 2009

5. COLA

No Prepay

Fold $1.57 Into Rate Range Maximums.

Fold Individual COLA Amounts Into Base Rates.

12 COLA Adjustments.

Peg Point will be 215.5.

6. Overtime

No Change To Current Language in 2006 Contract.

(Company withdrew proposal of 40 hour requirement)

7. Holidays

39 Holidays over life of contract - Includes Martin Luther King Day in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Employees will be allowed to use "O" day, vacation day or sick day in observation of MLK holiday in 2009.

Voluntary O/T

Company must first attempt to staff Holiday overtime with volunteers.

The Company cannot require mandatory overtime on the following Holidays:

New Years Day Labor Day

Memorial Day Thanksgiving Day

Independence Day Christmas Day

8. Hours of Labor Article 6 Section 4

Paid 10 minute breaks between regular shift and overtime.

9. Seniority Article 12 Section 8

Recall rights increased from 36 to 48 months.

Article 12 Section 17

Temporary layoffs shall not exceed ten (10) consecutive days in any one (1) year period.

10. Vacation Article 13 Section 3

Increase carryover days from 5 to 10.

Any unused carry over vacation days will be paid out 6 months from carry over date.

11. Funeral Leave Article 22

Added paid 5 day bereavement for Stillborn.

12. Sick Days Article 24 Section 4

Sick days may now be used on mandatory overtime.

Hours used on OT paid at regular rate.

13. Medical No Change

Retained current contribution rate at 12% each year.

Improvements in the EPO Plan Only.

14. Leadman Pay Article 12 Section 14

Paid for 3 or more hours of training in any workday.

15. Subcontracting Article 28 Section 1

Added language for Company to provide information.

Article 28 Section 2

Employees to be laid off due to subcontracting will be offered training and employment in bargaining unit work available in St. Louis.

16. Successorship New Language

Language for the employer to notify the Union of possible sale of Company

17. Technology & Teaming New Language

New language includes HPWO

18. Job Descriptions Machinist

New language to give Union input on the work-load of running multiple machines.
No change to all other Job Descriptions.

19. Performance Sharing Plan Article 5 Section 10

Paragraphs A and B language deleted.

20. Pre-Retirement Elective New Language

Life and 10-Year Period Certain Option

21. Union Meetings LOU

The company agrees to endeavor to avoid requiring mandatory overtime for lodge meetings whenever business conditions allow

22. Building 2 Shift Preference LOU

Company will establish a process for Building 2 with the Union to enable qualified and capable senior employees to obtain open positions on the shift of their preference

This concludes the Highlights of the January 18, 2009 Proposal to be voted on Sunday.

Members employed at GKN rejected the Company final contract offer by a vote of 243 ACCEPT and 608 REJECT on January 11, 2009 .
The Strike Authorization Vote passed by a vote of 630 YES to strike and 207 NO to strike.

January 15, 2009
GKN Update at 3:00 PM

January 14, 2009
GKN Agrees To Return To Negotiating Table. Click here to read Press release

January 14, 2009 11:00 AM
As of this time, GKN still has not scheduled a continuation of talks with the District

January 13, 2009 3:00 PM
No response from GKN at this time.

January 13, 2009 8:00 AM
Don Smith Replaced as VP/GM in St. Louis

January 13, 2009 8:00 AM
SpeedFacts to the members at GKN

January 12, 2009
Message from Gordon King to the members employed at GKN

January 12, 2009
Cobra Rates

January 12, 2009
Update to SOP #3
January 12, 2009
GKN Contract Vote photos click here

January 11, 2009
Press Release concerning GKN Contract Vote

GKN Strike Operating Procedures - These procedures are subject to change based on International Approval.
SOP 1 Strike Captains
SOP 2 Picket Duties
SOP 3 Dispersal of Strike Benefits (Updated January 12, 2009)
SOP 4 Radio Room
SOP 5 Sign In Desk
SOP 6 Vehicle Driver
SOP 7 Security/Parking Duty
SOP 8 Security/Communication Cars

January 6, 2009
SpeedFacts for GKN concerning negotiations

January 6, 2009
GKN Initial Strike Duty Assignments Available Here

December 22, 2008
SpeedFacts for GKN concerning outcome of Strike Sanction Vote

December 21, 2008
GKN votes to Authorize Strike with 99.2% Granting Strike Authorization-Press Release Here
GKN Strike Authorization Photos here

December 19, 2008
SpeedFacts concerning GKN Negotiations and Strike Sanction Vote this Sunday!

December 18, 2008
Notice:
The Boeing Seniority Contract is still not available. The last list sent to us by Boeing was marked "Proprietary" and, therefore, not legally usable by us. We are working with the Company to get a usable list and will post it as soon as it becomes available.

Some GKN members are experiencing an internal ieexplorer application error when trying to access the GKN1 News online. This error is internal to GKN and we can not fix it. A suggestion is to press F5 as FAST as possible when the page STARTS to load. Sometimes, this will fix errors such as that but not always.

December 16, 2008
SpeedFacts for GKN concerning Strike Duty Sign Up

December 15, 2008
SpeedFacts for GKN concerning Strike Sanction Vote

Highlights of Tentative Agreement from GKN

1.	Contract Term	12 January 2009 - 22 January 2012

2.	Wages	GWI	1st year	3%
			2nd year	3%
			3rd year	3%
Schedule A GWI COLA Roll In Represents $1.57
	Classification	Minimum Rate	Current Rate	2009 3% Increase	2009 Plus COLA of 2008	2010 3% Increase	2011 3% Increase
	Bonding Mechanic	$14.00	$27.51	$28.34	$29.91	$30.80	$31.73
	Machinist	$14.00	$28.03	$28.87	$30.44	$31.35	$32.29
	Machine Repair Mechanic	$15.00	$28.19	$29.04	$30.61	$31.52	$32.47
	Process Operator	$11.00	$26.17	$26.96	$28.53	$29.38	$30.26
	Spray Painter	$11.00	$26.59	$27.39	$28.96	$29.83	$30.72
	Pipefitter	$15.00	$27.95	$28.79	$30.36	$31.27	$32.21
	Metal Fabricator	$14.00	$27.63	$28.46	$30.03	$30.93	$31.86

3.	Pension
	GKN Pension Plan increased from $55 to $65 for all years of service in the GKN Pension Plan.

4.	Lump Sum Bonus
	$1,000.00-----Paid by January 30, 2009

5.	COLA
		No Prepay
		Fold $1.57 Into Rate Range Maximums.
		Fold Individual COLA Amounts Into Base Rates.
		12 COLA Adjustments.
		Peg Point will be 215.5.

6.	Overtime
		No Change To Current Language in 2006 Contract.
		(Company withdrew proposal of 40 hour requirement)

7.	Holidays
		39 Holidays over life of contract - Includes Martin Luther King Day in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

		Employees will be allowed to use "O" day, vacation day or sick day in observation of MLK holiday in 2009.


		Voluntary O/T
		Company must first attempt to staff Holiday overtime with volunteers.
		The Company cannot require mandatory overtime on the following Holidays:

			New Years Day			Labor Day
			Memorial Day			Thanksgiving Day
			Independence Day			Christmas Day

8.	Hours of Labor	Article 6 Section 4
		Paid 10 minute breaks between regular shift and overtime.

9.	Seniority	Article 12 Section 8
			Recall rights increased from 36 to 48 months.
		Article 12 Section 17

			Temporary layoffs shall not exceed ten (10) consecutive days in any one (1) year period.

10.	Vacation	Article 13 Section 3
			Increase carryover days from 5 to 10.
			Any unused carry over vacation days will be paid out 6 months from carry over date.

11.	Funeral Leave	Article 22
			Added paid 5 day bereavement for Stillborn.

12.	Sick Days	Article 24 Section 4
			Sick days may now be used on mandatory overtime.
			Hours used on OT paid at regular rate.

13.	Medical	No Change
			Retained current contribution rate at 12% each year.
			Improvements in the EPO Plan Only.

14.	Leadman Pay	Article 12 Section 14
			Paid for 3 or more hours of training in any workday.

15.	Subcontracting	Article 28 Section 1
			Added language for Company to provide information.
		Article 28 Section 2
			Employees to be laid off due to subcontracting will be offered training and employment in bargaining unit work available in St. Louis.

16.	Successorship	New Language
			Language for the employer to notify the Union of possible sale of Company

17.	Technology & Teaming	New Language
			New language includes HPWO

18.	Job Descriptions	Machinist
			New language to give Union input on the work-load of running multiple machines. No change to all other Job Descriptions.

19.	Performance Sharing Plan	Article 5 Section 10
			Paragraphs A and B language deleted.

20.	Pre-Retirement Elective	New Language
			Life and 10-Year Period Certain Option

21.	Union Meetings	LOU
			The company agrees to endeavor to avoid requiring mandatory overtime for lodge meetings whenever business conditions allow

22.	Building 2 Shift Preference	LOU
			Company will establish a process for Building 2 with the Union to enable qualified and capable senior employees to obtain open positions on the shift of their preference

This concludes the Highlights of the January 18, 2009 Proposal to be voted on Sunday.