Bell Helicopter's White-Collar Workers Approve Contract; Blue Collar Workers Still on Picket Lines

Submitted by Jesse Russell on July 1, 2009 - 3:40pm
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With Bell Helicopters production staff still on strike for more than 15 days, the office workers have approved a contract agreement with the company. The white-collar workers are represented by United Auto Workers local 317 and they voted overwhelmingly in favor of the new three-year contract. Workers represented by UAW Local 218 remain on the picket lines, but returned to the table yesterday with a federal mediator. It is the first strike by the workers in more than 20 years. Part of the strike is to protect the jobs of 44 janitors who they are concerned will lose their jobs under new job descriptions in the contract proposal.