Third City of Tipton
Contract Marks Progress
With Local 893
TIPTON, Iowa
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| Gathered for the Jan. 23 ratification meeting are,
from left, Konnie Daufeldt, Neal Gaunt, Jerry Kapinski, Leroy Stolte, Ron Knouse, John Walsh and son, Kelly Glynn, Tawnya Shaw and
Aaron Kelly. |
Seven years ago the City of Tipton hired Jerry Kapinski for $5.50 an hour. Management promised him a fifty-cent
raise when he completed his probation. When the City reneged on that promise, Kapinski realized he needed a union. He organized his
co-workers, who voted unanimously to be represented by UE Local 893/IUP.
The UE members employed by the City recently finished negotiations for their third contract. At the end of the contract
period, Jerry Kapinski will be making $12.81 an hour. He and his co-workers will be earning wages comparable to other city workers across
the State of Iowa, with wage increases between 8 and 12 percent in each year of the two-year contract. Garbage collection workers will
receive a fifty-cent per hour bonus when working on the routes.
MORE IMPROVEMENTS
In other gains, the City will pay 100 percent of the insurance premiums for both single and family plans. Also, the City
will repay workers for money collected in error for premiums over the last year. The City will buy a winter coat for each employee.
Funeral leave language is improved. The amount of compensatory time that can be banked is increased, and workers will now be able to have
a payout of banked time twice a year. Increased vacation accrual will allow workers to earn additional days off sooner.
The UE negotiating committee consisted of unit Pres. Jerry Kapinski, Sec.-Treas. Konnie Daufeldt and Neal Gaunt
of the Electric Department. They were assisted by UE Field Org. Sylvia Kelley.
UE News - 4/02
