17-Day Construction Strike Ends With 17.8% Pay Bump
A tentative deal reached last week ended the 17-day construction strike that slowed down many Western Washington projects.
Members of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302 were told to return to work Thursday.
The tentative deal includes a total pay and benefit increase of 17.8% over three years, the Seattle Times reports. The members rejected a 15% bump in August that launched the strike. In July, members rejected a 13.1% bump.
Workers in places in Western Washington with a lower cost of living will get a 16% increase.
On average, union members make between $37.70 and $43.13 an hour. The Seattle Times estimated that by 2020, a union member’s median pay will be $101,400 a year, up from $85,900 now.
The deal still needs to be ratified. The full agreement was not posted on the IUOE Local 302 website as of press time.
