Union for Plow Drivers Approves Deal Ending Strike

EVELETH, Minn.-The union for St. Louis County plow drivers has approved a deal that will end their strike which began last Wednesday.

The vote passed 133-0.

According to a press release from St. Louis County, the tentative agreement was reached today at approximately 2 a.m., following 15 hours of mediation. Details of the agreement include:

• A three-year contract for 2020-22, and includes base wage increases of 2% plus an additional $0.55 cents per hour in 2020, 2.25% in 2021, and 2.25% in 2022.
• Also included is a higher starting wage rate (nearly 4% higher) for new equipment operators, plus other revisions to wage schedules that allow employees to accelerate through the salary ranges faster. This means most employees, over the three-year period, will receive wage increases of 10.5% to 12.5%, as well as any scheduled paid step increases, which average 3.8%.
• For health insurance, which was an identified focus area for the union, the county agreed to the union’s request to allow the bargaining unit to choose to leave the county’s self-insured health plan in the future with an employer contribution up to the amount provided to employees covered by its own self-insured health plan.
• While the proposed agreement does not include any changes to the sick leave accrual cap, as originally requested by the union, it does include enhanced funding with a health savings account option, for the Teamsters health insurance plan, should they elect to leave the county plan. The total cost for this provision will not exceed what the county contributes for employees in its own plan, but provides additional flexibility for the union.
• Also new as a result of the latest mediation, is employees in this bargaining unit will receive one additional permanent personal leave day per year beginning in 2021. Additionally a deal was reached that will provide another personal leave day sun setting in 2022, in exchange for concessions to give the county more flexibility to use seasonal highway laborers year around.

Upon completion of legal review by both parties, the County Board is expected to ratify the contract by the end of February. The contract will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020.