Seven months after starting negotiations on April 15, 2019, with 3M, Local 11-075 President Thomas Heimer said he was optimistic the local could resolve its bargaining differences with the company.
Almost one month later, the membership overwhelmingly ratified a three-year contract on Dec. 9 that covers about 200 workers at 3M’s Maplewood, Minn., maintenance facility.
The new agreement contains three weeks of 100 percent paid parental leave. “This was the first time we obtained this benefit ever, it was a total positive,” Heimer said.
Members also gained more flextime, with clearer contract language, Heimer said. Now, workers can use up to two hours of flextime at the beginning or end of the shift. So, if a person comes in late, they can make up that time at the end of the day.
Another important contract victory was relaxing the language on bereavement leave. Previously, management had the right to determine if and how long an employee could take bereavement leave. Now, management is out of the process.
The 3M workers have sick leave, and negotiators aligned this with vacation time so that both will start Jan. 1 of each year.
The contract also includes a 2.4 percent wage increase each year, and workers received a $700 lump sum upon ratification.
The agreement expires Aug. 19, 2022, and covers building maintenance workers who care for 3M’s headquarters facility, which includes 40 some buildings and is expanding.