Local 728 members are hailing the ratification of their new contract at Iron Mountain. The small but determined unit voted unanimously in favor of the agreement that will cover waste workers with improvements across the board, including annual wage increases. 

The extra pay was good news for Rod Williams, a 33-year driver at Iron Mountain who said the new contract is the best he’s ever seen. 

“We won big with this contract. We are all thankful to Local 728 for standing with us throughout negotiations and fighting on our behalf,” Williams said. “This is the best contract yet, and it will help us for years to come. We are now stronger than ever.” 

Williams added that workers showed their solidarity with workers who had been out of work due to the pandemic, which allowed Local 728 to secure 12 additional months for laid-off employees. The contract also contains significant wage increases, stronger seniority protections, better PPE and safety rules, and much more. 

“The guys were ecstatic and said they had never seen work like this before during negotiations. We also won over three new members, who were so impressed they signed up with Local 728 and now puts this unit at 100 percent,” said Local 728 Business Agent Vickie Beavers. “This contract is proof that bargaining matters when it comes to overcoming the obstacles of right-to-work laws.” 

“I commend these dedicated workers for staying engaged and united throughout the bargaining process,” said Chuck Stiles, Teamsters Solid Waste and Recycling Director and Local 728 Vice President. 

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