BY DANNY BOOHER AND MARY MARTIN

ST. LOUIS, Missouri - Members of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) District 837 met here September 11, on the 99th day of their strike against the McDonnell Douglas Corp., to hear a report on a proposed five-year contract and to vote on its adoption. Workers ratified the settlement by a margin of 3,774 to 1,785.

During the ratification meeting some strikers pointed to the gains made by the union in maintaining the walkout for three months with only two percent of the 6,700 strikers crossing the picket lines. "A lot was accomplished and established for the union with the strike," striker Isaiah Peebles said. "I don't regret striking, but I don't regret going back to work either."

Although the agreement passed by a margin of two to one, several members expressed dissatisfaction with the meeting and the vote. Don Colombatto, 31, a sheet metal worker for nine years, said, "I think it would have been worth fighting for a better contract. I also disagreed with getting only an eight- page summary of an 80-page contract the same day of the vote."

The contract proposal was drawn up by company officials and top international of ficers, President Gerald Oulsen and Business Representative Michael Shoen, were included in the final 30-hour negotiating session in Washington. No other members of the local bargaining committee took part.

The ratification meeting, held at the America's Center in downtown St. Louis, opened with the introduction of the bargaining committee and reports from union officers. Larry Downing, IAM international vice president, told the membership, "This agreement is not perfect but was the best we could get from McDonnell Douglas. If we don't accept this there is no guarantee we can continue this fight. This is a good settlement." His remarks were punctuated by booing from those in attendance.

The three main issues for the striking Machinists were job security, job combinations, and health and retirement benefits. The company's main goal was to eliminate 1,700 jobs through outsourcing and job combinations.

On job security, the company pledged to give the union 60 days notice before signing any outsourcing agreement that would displace 50 or more union workers. The union would submit cost- cutting proposals showing how jobs slated for outsourcing could be kept in the plant.

"I don't think we union members should be in the business of devising ways of cost cutting to save jobs," said striker John Costa. "A committeeman won't have time to handle members' grievances."

The new contract says that 33 job classifications will be combined to form 13 new ones. The company is supposed to offer training programs for possible placement into other areas of the plant for displaced workers.

Pension benefits for retirees will increase by $8 per month. Workers can retire at age 50 if they have 30 years of service. Disabled retirees, however, will lose all eye and dental benefits as a result of the agreement.

A big selling point for the contract was a 4.5 percent wage increase over the five-year life of the settlement plus three bonuses totaling 9 percent. The company's earlier offer included a 2.5 percent wage raise for the first year of a four-year contract, followed by lump sum payments equal to 2.5 and 3 percent of wages in the next two years.

McDonnell workers are scheduled to return to work September 16.

Mary Martin is a member of IAM Local 1759 at Northwest Airlines in Washington, D.C. Jim Garrison, a member of United Auto Workers Local 110 at Chrysler in Fenton, Missouri, contributed to this article.  
 
 
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