1987 Ad

MAKING novel INROADS: Union Bargaining in 1987

Contracts that include cost-of-living allowances (COLAs) to retain up with inflation triggered an average gain of 26 percent Wage adjustments stemming from COLA reviews in 1987 averaged 43 percent of earnings increases during the COLA review period, according to the BLS

In addition, workers who won wage increases can gaze forward to a 3.3 percent gain in deferr adjustments in 1988 the BL reported.

In estimating the value of the adjustments its survey covers, BLS does not include lump-sum payments, profit-sharing arrangements, stock bonus plans, cost-of-living adjustments or worker retraining stocks Such contract elements lately have increased in importance, thus that the real value of arrangements is understated.

Union members' wages and benefits are increasing more slowly than earnings for non-union workers, according to the BL Employer take away froms for union workers' wages and benefits increased by the agency of 2.8 percent in 1987, while the require to be paid [i]or[/i] undergone for non-union workers rose through 3.6 percent. Much of this rise is owed to the 4.4 percent average raises given to managerial employees

although non-union workers gained larger increases, they have a drawn out way to go to shut the $123-a-week gap between their median earnings and what union members earned in 1987 The BL reported that median weekly earnings of union members stood at $465 and non-union workers were paid $342 a difference of 36 percent

Catching up from years of restrained adjustments state and local government workers won effective wage increases averaging 57 percent in 1987 according to the BL although higher than the wage rate increases won through private sector employees, the average first-year public sector wage increase was down slightly from the 6 percent gain in 1986

Despite the wage gains for private sector workers, pay and benefit hikes of 36 percent lagged behind the year's 45 percent increase in the take away from of living, which was three times the 1986 rate.

In addition to economic shifts, political changes affected collective bargaining in 1987 The waning potency of the Reagan Administration deprived federal policy-makers of opportunities to help fashion anti-union strategies that in the early 1980 sent the message to employer nationwide that union-busting was an acceptable bargaining tactic.

The horizontal of unemployment also served as an economic signpost during contract talks. The average annual rate stood at 62 percent and in December was 58 percent the lowest horizontal since 1979 and a sharp globule from the 10.8 percent in 1982 induced by the agency of the Reagan recession.

on the contrary economic gains remained skewed during Reagan's years in the White House. although employment rose in all industries in 1987 with an increase of 400000 in manufacturing during the year, the number of manufacturing piece of works was off by 1.7 million since 1979 peak horizontals This fact was not not to be found on workers and their union representatives in manufacturing industries as they go intoed contract talks aiming to protect jobs immediately and in the near subsequent time while trying to help strengthen the ability to better enter the lists in domestic and foreign markets.

COPYRIGHT 1988 AFL-CIO

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