To: All BMRF/B&P Employees
On Monday, February 14, 2022, the union notified the Company of their intent to take the Company’s latest offer to a vote by their membership.
What’s in the offer?
The Company’s February 11 offer reflects similar provisions which have been included in our previous offers, as well as the below union-requested updates:
- Addition of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday to the contract
- Updated language related to the union Workmen’s Committee
- Separate job classifications for Warehouse & Package Operators at the Blending & Packaging Plant
How do I vote?
As posted by media, the vote is currently scheduled for Monday, February 21, 2022 at IBEW Local 479 (1430 Spindletop Road, Beaumont, TX 77705) at the below times:
- 3:30 p.m.
- 5:30 p.m.
What are the next steps?
In order to reach an agreement, the union membership must vote to accept the Company’s offer through a ratification vote. Once the Company and union reach a ratified agreement, the Company will work with the union to establish a return to work agreement and return USW-represented employees to the site, ending the lockout. In an interest to return employees to work as quickly as possible following contract ratification, the Company and union have tentatively begun return to work discussions this week.
What about the decertification?
Regardless of the status of a ratification vote, or end of the lockout, the opportunity for decertification still exists through the decertification election, which will continue per the guidelines of the NLRB. This means that your impounded votes will still be counted once the union’s charges are dismissed.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions. You can find more information at www.embeaumont.com.