CHICAGO, July 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Local 727 and Service Corporation International successfully negotiated a three-year contract for 82 funeral directors and livery drivers in the greater Chicagoland area. The contract, which carries the unanimous recommendation of the negotiating team, is subject to a member ratification vote this week.
"After many sessions of hard bargaining, we reached an agreement that keeps SCI profitable in the Chicago market and rewards our members for their dedication and hard work," said John T. Coli, Teamsters Local 727 Secretary- Treasurer. "I'm pleased we were able to avoid any labor dispute so now our members can focus on serving the community."
"We appreciate the professionalism demonstrated by the union's bargaining committee during the negotiations," said Joseph A. Hayes, SCI assistant general counsel. "We are very pleased that we were able to reach an agreement we believe is in the long-term best interests of the company, our employees and the customers we serve."
Terms of the new three-year agreement include:
-- Continued health coverage with no premium co-share;
-- Continued participation in the Teamsters pension plan;
-- Three percent wage increases in each of the three years of the
contract;
-- Contract language changes that provide operational flexibility to
better meet customer needs.
Teamsters Local 727 represents more than 5,000 workers in the funeral and parking industry. It is affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which has more than 1.4 million members.
SCI, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of deathcare products and services, with more than 1,500 funeral homes and 400 cemeteries.
Teamsters Local 727
CONTACT: Brian Rainville, +1-312-659-9199, or Leslie Miller,
+1-202-409-6647, both for Teamsters Local 727
Web site: http://www.teamster.org/
