After a decade of givebacks, New York Local 814 commercial movers won a record contract that restores healthcare cuts, saves their pensions, and delivers major wage increases to the lowest-paid members.
“We mobilized. We held rallies. We were more united than ever and the bosses knew it,” said Chris Lang, a member of the negotiating committee and a shop steward at Certified Moving and Storage.
On the last night of talks, the employers gave the union a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum and stepped out of negotiations to let the union team deliberate.
“When the bosses returned to the table, the bargaining committee and Executive Board packed up our things and told them we were walking,” said steward Tim Kurdziel. “That was really the turning point.”
The employers backed down. And several hours later, Local 814 came away with a new contract that made concessions a thing of the past.