Striking workers have reached an agreement with Fairbanks Scales in St. Johnsbury and will return to work.
The 65 employees, members if the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, went on strike Nov. 1 after they said talks with the company had reached an impasse.
Union representative Chad McGinnis says the company returned to the bargaining table Monday and the two sides reached an agreement that has been ratified by members.
“We accomplished pretty close to what we were looking for. The real crux of the contract battle had to do winning a fair wage increase and being able to control insurance premium increases,” says McGinnis.
An official with Fairbanks Scales confirmed an agreement had been reached but declined further comment.
McGinnis says the three-year contract is the result of the strike and an aggressive bargaining approach by the union which seeks “not just to defend but to improve our working conditions.”
“Our position is that workers create all the wealth of this society and we’re entitled to, at the very least, a fair shake,” he says.
Fairbanks Scales has a long history in Vermont. The company began manufacturing scales in St. Johnsbury in 1830.
It’s undergone several mergers and acquisitions since then. The company has been based in Kansas City, MO for the past 30 years.
According to its website, Fairbanks Scales employs more than 500 people nationwide.
