It took four years, but the wait paid off.

UAW dealers at Caesars casino in Atlantic City, N.J., overwhelmingly ratified a first contract in a Nov. 18 vote with 90 percent in favor of the contract.

The agreement covers nearly 800 dealers and includes, among other benefits, an 18 percent wage increase, grievance and arbitration rights, layoff and recall rights, and seniority rights.

“This process began with a very difficult relationship but has evolved into a mutually respectful partnership,” said UAW Vice President Joe Ashton, who directs the union’s Gaming Department.

“Our members remained patient and persistent as they worked toward this goal,” said UAW Region 9 Director Scott Adams. “This agreement allows everyone to move forward in a successful partnership to bring new business into Caesars Atlantic City and the community.”

The contract is the second agreement reached with Atlantic City casinos after thousands of UAW workers at several casinos organized in 2007.

Other contracts

Members at General Dynamics Land Systems voted 92 percent in favor of a new five-year agreement covering 1,500 active workers and 3,000 retirees. Ratified by hourly and salaried workers, the agreement includes wage increases, adjustable work hours and pension improvements. The contract covers members of UAW Local 412 (Units 27 and 28) and UAW Local 1248 in Warren, Sterling Heights and Shelby Township, Mich.; UAW Local 1193 in Scranton, Pa.; and expires Oct. 18, 2015.

Members of UAW Local 5287 ratified a four-year agreement at Thomas Built Buses that covers 1,049 workers in High Point, N.C.

UAW members also approved a four-year agreement for approximately 2,000 UAW members at Navistar facilities in Melrose Park, Ill. (engine assembly and engine engineering), Springfield, Ohio (truck assembly), Atlanta, York (Pa.) and Dallas (parts distribution centers) and Fort Wayne, Ind. (truck engineering).

UAW members are represented by Local 6 in Melrose Park , Local 402 in Springfield, Local 472 in Atlanta, Local 1872 in York, Local 119 in Dallas and Local 2911 in Fort Wayne.

Members of UAW Local 1414 at McLaughlin Body Co. of Moline, Ill. voted by a margin of 70 percent in favor of ratifying a six-year contract covering about 450 welders, assemblers, painters and other workers.

Sandra Davis

VP Holiefield is labor award honoree

UAW Vice President General Holiefield played a pivotal role during the 2008-2009 auto industry crisis when he helped negotiate the historic loans that allowed the Detroit 3 to regain their financial footing and keep jobs in America.

Holiefield, who directs the union’s Chrysler Department, was a Labor Award honoree at the Sixth Annual Peace and Justice Banquet held in Detroit on Dec. 5.

The labor leader has since been striving to help auto plants around the country, even those owned by foreign companies, rise to the wage and benefits standards set by the UAW.

“Why should our workers’ wages have to go down to the level of those transplants who build plants in this country? Their wages should come up to our level,” Holiefield said.

The event, co-chaired by UAW President Bob King, was sponsored by Detroit’s Central United Methodist Church to pay tribute to extraordinary activism. The gathering marked the church’s 200th anniversary. The program included keynote speaker Shirley Sherrod.

Also honored were author and lecturer Marianne Williamson and the Rev. Norman Thomas of Detroit’s Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church.

Sandra Davis