Press Releases
Pollard Banknote Teamsters Ratify Contract
Print and Production Workers Secure Record Wage Increases, Better Benefits
Press Contact: Maura Drumm Phone: (215) 510-3537 Email: MDrumm@teamster.org
(YPSILANTI, Mich.) – Nearly 200 printing and production workers represented by Teamsters Local 337 in Ypsilanti, Mich., have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a powerful new contract. Backed by a credible strike threat and high rank-and-file engagement, the workers secured record raises, protections against forced overtime, and major improvements to retirement benefits.
“This agreement fixes a lot of the wrongs we were experiencing on the job. We got strong pay increases retroactive for months. For the first time, we enshrined our retirement security into our contract. And we locked in guarantees that Pollard Banknote cannot force us to work extreme amounts of overtime,” said Jeremy Helton, a 10-year maintenance technician and steward for Local 337. “This contract shows what workers can accomplish when we stick together. It would not have been possible without the support of Local 337 and the commitment of my fellow stewards and the rest of our brothers and sisters on the shop floor.”
The bargaining unit includes press operators, machine technicians and assistants, and folder operators and assistants. They produce lottery tickets for several states and countries. Helton and his co-workers are part of a growing movement of graphics workers who have left the sham Printing Packaging and Production Workers Union to gain strong representation in the workplace with the Teamsters.
“These new Teamsters went through a lot just to join our ranks. During the organizing process, we saw their strength and determination firsthand, so it was no surprise to see how engaged they were throughout bargaining,” said Todd Lince, President of Local 337. “The gains these workers secured are a testament to a lot of hard work. We are beyond proud to have them as part of the Local 337 family.”
Teamsters Local 337 represents over 6,000 workers from a range of industries throughout Michigan. For more information, go to TeamstersLocal337.com.