(Host) Striking workers at the Fairbanks Scales plant in Saint Johnsbury are returning to work this morning. Roughly 70 employees went on strike two weeks ago over pensions, wage issues and health insurance – including sharing the cost of prescription drugs. Bob South, President of the union at Fairbanks, sums up the agreement:
(South) “Basically the stumbling block was the pension and the healthcare. And, the company met us halfway on the pension. Our pension’s going to be frozen for one year but in the second year we’re going to earn $17.25 towards our pension. And the healthcare – they lowered our contributions a little bit. But the big thing was the prescription drugs. They lowered the prescription drugs quite a bit in the first year, and I believe that’s what got us through the hurdle and we’re back to work.”
(Host) The agreement reached is for a new three-year contract, with wage increases in the second and third years, a pension freeze for one year, and increased health care costs.