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June 12, 2006

Union rejects offer from Providence-based Textron

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Union leaders at Bell Helicopter Textron today told members to report to work as usual after the membership rejected the company's contract proposal.

United Auto Workers Local 218 voted 1,390 to 476 yesterday to reject the proposed three-year contract. The old contract expired last night. Bell says negotiations were to continue.

After yesterday's vote, the UAW Web site urged workers to report to their jobs as usual today.

A Bell spokesman says the company offered a 21 percent cumulative wage increase over three years, ratification bonuses of $3,500 and a choice of three health plans.

The company said its average health care cost per employee had tripled since 1999 to $18,000.

The helicopter company is a unit of Providence-based Textron.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 2:27 PM | Permalink

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