What's Going On...

• With the help of a federal mediator, an agreement with Maryland Metals was finally reached in June that improved the money package. The tentative agreement was ratified unanimously by the workers the following day.

• After enduring months of delays and no-shows by its management, and with the threat of a Teamster strike looming, Cinetic Landis went back to the table with the union in mid-August. The parties spent 18 hours straight hammering out the decent deal that members ratified hours later. The 3-year agreement includes a signing bonus, increases in wages, maintenance of the 25% cap on health insurance costs, and no give-backs in benefits. In return, the company got a tightened-up attendance policy. "The company kept stalling, and we had to reserve all our options," explained Secretary-Treasurer Tom Krause. "In fact, we got strike authorization from the IBT back in February. So we had all systems in place. We were ready to go out."

• Negotiations began August 23 with Fulton County on behalf of domestic relations officers and probation officers.