Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
Local Update: GBCA/IFCA Reach Tentative Settlement with Carpenters and Laborers
In the face of troubled economic times that have severely impacted construction all across Philadelphia, the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA) and the Interior Finish Contractors Association (IFCA) announced today that they have reached a tentative one-year settlement that freezes wages for union carpenters and related trades in Philadelphia.
While holding the line on wage increases, the tentative one-year agreement offers an increase of $1.50 per hour effective May 1, 2009 and an additional $0.15 per hour effective November 1, 2009 that will be dedicated to the pension and other benefit funds operated by the Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters. The 8,000-member carpenters union is expected to vote on the contract later this week.
“This agreement provides relief for our members by holding the line on wages at a time when our industry is facing some of the toughest economic challenges in our lifetime,” said Walter P. Palmer 3rd, spokesman for both the GBCA and IFCA, which partnered together in negotiations with the carpenters and the Laborers’ District Council. ”At the same time, we recognized the unions’ concerns about additional support for its benefit funds during this economic crisis, and the tentative agreement addresses those issues.”
In addition to the carpenters union, the GBCA and IFCA also have reached a tentative one-year agreement with the Laborers’ District Council (at $1.25 per hour, with $1 dedicated to benefit funds and a 25-cent per hour wage increase).
Contracts with each union had been set to expire on May 1st, but the deadline was extended (twice) until this evening (May 5th) at midnight.
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