By Mark Boshnack
Staff Writer
Members of the Communications Workers
of America Local 14164 union at MeadWestvaco
in Sidney ratified a new three-year contract
Friday by a vote of 267 to 188, a union official
said.
Members had defeated a proposed contract
on Oct. 6 by a vote of 281 to 183.
Outside of non-economic changes, there was
not much difference to the previous agreement
that expired in December 2008, local union
Vice President Dan Strauss said.
A call to company spokeswoman Michele
McFee was not returned by 10 p.m. Friday.
A change in the way vacation time could be
used was apparently what workers wanted to
hear, Strauss said.
He was hopeful that the economy will turn
around so the union will be in a better position
for the next contract, he said.
About two-thirds of the Sidney plant’s 850
employees are members of the union. The facility,
which manufactures consumer and office
products, including calenders and planners,
lost about 50 jobs last fall.
