BY JEFF JONES
ST. PAUL, Minnesota - About 2,500 members of International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1145 went on strike at 12:01 a.m. February 2, shutting down production at three Honeywell plants in the area. Hours before, union members rejected a proposed four-year contract, by a vote of 1,138 to 825. It's the workers' first strike since 1967. Officials of the Minneapolis-based company, which manufactures aerospace controls, said they were "very surprised" by the vote. A majority of the 41-member union negotiating committee had recommended approval.

The proposed contract included 4 percent wage raises each of the first two years and 3 percent for each of the following two years.

The main reason for rejecting the contract, workers on the picket line said, was the proposed two-tier wages and benefits. A majority of the Teamsters currently make $12 - $15 an hour. The wage for new hires would start at $8.50 an hour, with increments over four years to the standard wage.

Additionally, new workers would have to pay 20 percent of their medical costs, above the premiums. Currently the company pays 100 percent after premiums paid by the workers. The inferior benefits plan would be permanent for new workers.

A production worker with 20 years in the plant said, "This is a union-busting contract because of the two-tier. This will weaken and split the union by taking away benefits for the new hires and then later for us."

Strikers on the picket line say that between 500-700 workers are due to retire over the next four years, and they anticipate hiring by the company after many years of layoffs. Honeywell produces building controls, flight controls, and gyroscopes for airliners, test equipment and instrument displays for military aircraft, and other control components. The company reported $8 billion in sales last year.

Honeywell secured a District Court restraining order on February 3, restricting the number of pickets at each gate to six and forbidding interference with people or vehicles entering or leaving their plants.

Ernie Moryn, production worker with 23 years seniority, stated the outlook of many strikers. "I am pretty confident we will get most of what we want," he said. "We want everybody to get the same benefits."

Jeff Jones is a member of International Association of Machinists Local 1833.  
 
 
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