Union rejects Bell Helicopter's offer - The Business Review (Albany):

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Over the weekend, 1,177 union workers voted againstthe company’s proposed 680 voted for it and nine votes were classifiede as void. The workers represented by the unionminclude janitors, maintenance crews, truck bonders and machinists. The union, which has an office in posted a message on its Web saying the vote against the contract indicates workers were on strike as ofmidnight Monday. In an interviea with the Dallas Business Local 218 president Joe Grahamn said workersrejected Bell’s final offer due to the outsourcing of janitoria l jobs, an increase in health benefigt premiums and an objection to retiree pay remaining at the $65 a montj times the employees time of servicre rate, Graham said.
On Bell's Web site, the company said its best offet includes wage increases of more than 18 percent overthrer years, a cash bonus for each member and improved pension benefits: “By accepting Bell's offer for a new, three-year contract, the nearlyu 2,500 Fort Worth-area production and maintenance workerse who are members of Local 218 would gain an averagee of $23,830 more in total compensation, as well as cost-of-livint wage increases based on the most lucrativer benefit for such adjustments in the aerospace industry.
” Graham said retirees would receives a bonus under the new but voted the contract down believinyg the bonus would be eatehn up by increased insurance