Cascade Adopts New Labor Agreement

A new labor contract has been ratified between Portland Shipyard's prime contractor, Cascade General, Inc., and the 1,500 shipyard workers represented by the Metal Trades Council of Portland. Cascade General President and CEO Frank Foti said the contract includes several radically different approaches to wage and jurisdiction issues he anticipates will enable Cascade to compete more effectively for foreign and domestic ship repair business. "The contract will change the way we work to assure the survival and success of the ship repair industry in Portland," Mr. Foti predicted. The four-year contract, effective July 1, 1996, through June 30, 2000, allows a worker from any Metal Trades union to perform any craftwork at the shipyard he or she can do safely and efficiently It also provides an hourly wage based on skill, ability and performance. The Metal Trades Council of Portland is a bargaining unit comprised of shipyard craft locals, including boilmakers, teamsters, carpenters, painters, electrical workers, machinists, pipefitters, sheet metal workers, asbestos workers, operating engineers and laborers.

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