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3 November, 2014IndustriALL Global Union affiliate United Steelworkers (USW) has confirmed that members of 61 local unions at RockTenn facilities across the country by a large margin voted to ratify their first-ever master economic and security agreement that sets wage, pension, health insurance, health and safety and other provisions for about 6,000 workers.
"Our members in the paper sector, one of our union's largest, have made significant progress in developing a more efficient and effective process to negotiate improved contracts at RockTenn and throughout the industry," says USW International President Leo W. Gerard.
USW International Vice President Jon Geenen, who oversees the union's paper sector negotiations, said that the new, six-year contract with RockTenn will provide security for workers and their families.
"This agreement will provide increased earnings and economic peace of mind for workers at RockTenn," Geenen said. "Imagine the confidence that could be brought to the entire economy if all working families could predict their prosperity for a half-decade while seeing their living standards improve each year."
IndustriALL Pulp and Paper Director Anatoly Surin said:
We know how difficult it was to find the way to sign the first Master agreement with RockTenn, and we congratulate our American colleagues with this very important victory.