Hammond's Unilever workers approved two-year contract with wage hike

Workers at Unilever's Hammond plant on Tuesday barely ratified a new 2-year contract, with a 123 to 106 vote.

The 2-year contract offers workers reasonable increases in wages and benefits, according to union representatives. The contract, for which negotiations started in November, came highly recommended to the 251 active members by its negotiating team.

Wages were the biggest issue, according to Robert Lofton, United Steelworkers District 7's international representative, and one that stalled the process considerably.

"It was all tied to wages. If you don't get enough and then your insurance increases, anything you've negotiated for means nothing," Lofton said. "We had hoped to get in, cut through the fat and get to fair and reasonable sooner, but these were tough negotiations. In fact, this is the longest one with Lever Brothers (the plant's former name) I've ever been involved in."

Negotiations were so tough, in fact, that the union answered Unilever's second contract offer with a strike vote. Whether that hastened a better offer, Lofton was reluctant to speculate.

"I don't know if it was the reason, but did it play into it? Sure, no doubt," he said.

Another concern for the union was its two-tier work system, according to USW Local 7-336 President Mike Ward. Under the current system, new hires come in at a pay rate considerably lower than that of current employees.

Under the agreement, new hires will still make as much as $4 less an hour than current employees, but they'll be entitled to incremental raises, Lofton said.

The contract takes effect immediately and expires April 30, 2009, Ward said.

Unilever spokespersons did not return phone calls on Tuesday.

Unilever is based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Its Hammond plant produces bar soap, including the Dove Skincare line.