COLUMBUS -- Members of the Communications Workers of America Local 4501 voted nearly 5 to 1 to approve the landmark agreement for a new contract with The Ohio State University, university and union officials announced Thursday evening at a news conference at the Longaberger Alumni House, 2200 Olentangy River Road.

The contract ratification vote of 992 to 225 marked the conclusion to the process of negotiating a three-year contract between the union and the university. The 1,900 CWA members began a strike against the university and the Ohio State Medical Center on May 1, and returned to work May 22. Voting took place at various campus locations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

"We are enormously pleased that the strike is over and our CWA employees are back at work," said Ohio State President William E. Kirwan. "It is time for the entire university community to come together, and continue doing the work of educating our students and caring for our patients in the most effective way."

Gary Josephson, president of the CWA local, said that the contract is a significant step forward for his members. "Tonight, our members have good reason to celebrate. The contract is settled, our members are back at work and they're going to receive a significant pay increase," he said. "The university has acknowledged that our members had not been sufficiently recognized in the past, and this is a good down payment on a better future."

Cathy Cooper, Ohio State director of labor relations who was the university's lead negotiator, said she is pleased that the contract vote was overwhelmingly positive. "We entered this process seeking an agreement that everyone could feel good about. With the return to smooth-running operations at the university, we're looking forward to a stronger partnership and improved working relationship with the CWA," she said.

The new contract takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 27.

Among the provisions of the contract, non-hospital CWA members will receive a $1 hourly increase in the first year of the three-year accord (effective with the pay period beginning 6/18/00); a 50-cent hourly increase in the second year, and an additional 50-cent hourly increase in the third year. The latter increases also will be effective at the start of the fiscal years.

CWA members who work in the hospitals will also receive a $1 hourly increase in the first year of the contract: a 50-cent hourly increase effective with the pay period beginning 6/18/00 and an additional 50-cent increase effective on their anniversary dates. In addition, these workers will receive a 40-cent hourly increase in the second year of the contract and an additional 50-cent hourly increase in the third year. The second- and third-year increases will be effective on the employee's anniversary date.

Hospital workers will receive evening and night-shift differentials of 15 cents per hour in the first year, 20 cents per hour in the second year, and 25 cents per hour in the third year.

Members of the bargaining unit also will each receive a $420 cash payment as part of the ratification of the agreement.

Other provisions of the agreement include a new pilot apprenticeship program for skilled trades and maintenance staff; the addition of the use of skilled trades job titles previously used only by the University Medical Center, which would allow opportunities for upgrade and promotion of qualified University staff; an agreement to review job classifications for the purpose of developing skills assessment and learning components, with CWA to play a major role in selecting classifications for review; and guarantees for the life of the agreement that the university will maintain its share of benefits costs at 85 percent of premiums for the university base plan, with bargaining unit members paying no more than the 15 percent they currently pay.

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