Cives Workers Ratify New Contract with Wage Improvements

Andy O’Brien

12 May, 2023

After organizing, rallying and a fighting for a fair contract, Ironworkers Local 807 voted resoundingly on Monday to ratify a new three-year contract with Cives Steel in Augusta that addresses workers' wage, health insurance and pension concerns as well as a number of other issues.

"I am very proud of our members. They stayed together, they organized and they fought with us for a good contract. We gained in several different areas," said Tim Dunlap, Chief Steward for Ironworkers 807. "The wages were a lot better than what workers at the other Cives shop in Virginia got. We improved our vacation, we got an extra holiday and way more money than we’d ever gotten in our retirement. We did well all the way around. "

The contract includes:

Average Wage increases amounting to an immediate 6.5 percent
Pension contributions increased by 25 percent over the contract
Health Insurance Employee contributions frozen 2023, 2024; minimal increases 2025, 2026
Additional safety equipment
Paid holiday, vacation improvements and other benefits
Work produced at Augusta plant must be identified as fabricated by Ironworkers Local 807

Local 807 members say the key to reaching the agreement was the unity and determination of the Local 807 membership and the solidarity and support from the New England District Council of Ironworkers, the Central Maine Labor Council (CMLC), the local affiliates of the Maine AFL-CIO and elected leaders like Congressman Jared Golden, Senate President Troy Jackson and August Rep. Raegan LaRochelle (D-Augusta). Over the past month, members of the CMLC, Machinists S6, MSEA-SEIU 1989, IBEW, NALC, Ironworkers, the Maine Education Association and others joined Local 807 on the picket lines and helped rally support for their cause.

"The Maine AFL-CIO and the Central Maine Labor Council were awesome. Bringing all of the other union members coming in to support us. The union solidarity we had was unbelievable. Without the Maine AFL-CIO and the Central Maine Labor Council coming out I don’t think we would have been able to push as hard we did. That really showed them that we were together," said Dunlap.

Dunlap said that Ironworkers Local 807 members were so impressed with the show of solidarity that they have voted to affiliate with the Maine AFL-CIO and are planning to join the Central Labor Council to support other workers.

“The guys here really felt the support and they want to give the support back too,” he added.

Ironworkers Local 807 also received strong support from elected officials. They met with Congressman Jared Golden and he shared a letter of support for the workers. They also got strong support from state legislators like Senate President Troy Jackson.