kwch.com/news/aviationwatch/kwch-pjm-machinists-union-accepts-new-contract-20121110,0,3228230.story
By Sia Nyorkor
KWCH 12 Eyewitness News
9:57 PM CST, November 10, 2012
(WICHITA, Kan.)
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The ballots are in and by a 70-30 majority, strikers will return to work. But not everyone is happy about the deal.
"Would you mind telling us how you voted?" asked Eyewitness News Reporter Sia Nyorkor.
"I voted it down," says Vernon Jennings, a striker.
"Me myself personally, with my honey going through cancer treatments, I would have to get a second job so I could not live with it," says Paul Love.
But some say they can live with the new changes. A federal mediator stepped in to negotiate a new contract after members of the Machinist union rejected Bombardier's first offer---mainly because of an increase in health care costs and a decrease in pay raises.
Under the new deal, the employee's share of their health insurance premium went from 30 percent to 15 percent with a wellness program. The union says an employee with single coverage will see a $700 per year reduction in health insurance payroll deductions, and employees with family coverage will see a $2,300 annual savings compared to the company's pre-strike offer.
"There are some things I could live with, there's some other things that we don't like but maybe on the next contract we can get those back and work on those again but we'll just have to see," says David Long.
After spending almost six weeks on the picket lines, many of the strikers we talked with say they're ready to return back to work.
"I'm glad it's over, I know it's not perfect, nothing in this world is, but it's something we'll have to live with," says Linda Wily.
Workers don't have to officially report to work until the end of the month, but many say they're relieved to be off the picket lines and are ready to be back on the production lines, Monday morning.
Bombardier Learjet released a statement saying: "We are satisfied with the outcome of the vote and are confident in moving forward and continuing to work with all of our employees."
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