Members at WTMA (Washington Township Municipal Authority) ratified a 3-year agreement in January that provides an increase in wages, protections to health care minimum costs, and language improvements.

At Redland Brick, a brick making company that took a big hit during the 2008-2010 recession, employees succeeded during recent negotiations in protecting their health care cost share - a top priority. In costing out the offered wage increase, they determined they would be further ahead in forgoing the increase and maintain their HC cost share. With the HC secure and improvements made to contract language, members overwhelming approved the tentative agreement.

No dates have yet been set to continue bargaining with Cinetic Landis Grinding, a French-owned company whose specialty is building grinding and retooling machines for the Big Three auto makers. The company moved a few years ago to Hagerstown from Waynesboro, PA where it employed 700 people. The company's Hagerstown plant employs 40 people who are in talks for a their second contract. Three days of negotiations last month produced little, with the company walking out on talks the third day. An extension agreement (with retroactivity) is in place until a successor contract is reached.

Negotiations with Pepsi-Cola are proceeding with non-economics wrapped up and economic issues still to be bargained. An extension agreement is in place. Local 992 represents 50-60 Pepsi drivers, warehousemen and merchandizers.

The Local Union is in negotiations for a first contract with the newly organized RailLink employees.

An unjust discharge of a member employed by Kellogg is scheduled for a June 2, 2011 hearing. The company alleges that the member was texting while driving.