New Era Cap Workers in Mobile Unanimously Ratify First Contract

Three-Year Agreement Includes Annual Non-Discrimination Audit by NAACP

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters at New Era Cap in Mobile, Alabama unanimously ratified their first contract following a seven-month struggle with the company.

The agreement ensures that all 95 workers at the Mobile plant will have the protection of a union contract that includes wage increases, affordable health care and benefits, a grievance procedure with arbitration, reinstatement of laid-off workers and a non-discrimination policy that was approved by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The contract also includes a neutrality agreement for organizing the 380 workers at the Jackson, Alabama plant.

"This is a historic agreement in Alabama," said Jim Gookins, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 991 in Mobile. "This is a strong first contract, one that we can build upon in the future. I am proud of these workers."

All workers who were making below $10 per hour will receive an immediate raise to that rate while those who made $10 per hour will get a bonus. The company will also be required to pay the majority of any health care increases over the life of the contract.

As a result of an NAACP investigation that found evidence of racial discrimination in the Mobile plant, a new non-discrimination policy was included in the agreement. New Era Cap agreed to an annual audit of the Mobile plant by the NAACP to help prevent any discriminatory practices from occurring in the future.

"This was the perfect collaboration between organized labor and the civil rights movement. The NAACP has long respected and supported the right of working women and men to organize themselves - this was the perfect marriage of two movements, labor and civil rights, with one goal," said NAACP Chairman Julian Bond.

Seventeen workers who were laid off over the course of the organizing campaign will be given the opportunity to be reinstated. Those that choose to not come back will receive a settlement from the company. An additional three workers who were fired will be allowed to utilize the arbitration process to get their jobs back.

"This was a tough fight, but it was one we knew we were on the right side of," Gookins said. "I know it was all worth it when I see the pride in these Teamsters' eyes. They will never be intimidated or marginalized again."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.