The members of Teamsters Local 96 voted to ratify a new contract with Washington Gas, the natural gas provider for Washington D.C. and the surrounding area. The vote came after members voted overwhelmingly to authorize a potential strike just one week earlier.
The union faced down a laundry list of proposed givebacks being pushed by Washington Gas. For weeks of negotiations the employer insisted that proposals around lessening PTO and taking away layoff protections were required for a deal to get done.
Members took part in a bargaining survey that showed the demands they were united in. They began wearing Local 96 buttons and hats to work everyday, making their solidarity visible. Members received updates from the table multiple times a week to their phones and through monthly calls that were attended by over 200 people.
The contract was set to expire on May 31st. Two weeks before expiration the employer still refused to take its offensive proposals off the table and members knew they had to escalate.
Through their Contract Action Team the union started holding parking lot meetings at every major station, hinting at the boss what would happen if their contract expired without a deal. After the first round of parking lot meetings, WGL management took their PTO and layoff proposals off the table but were still offering a wage increase that was unacceptable. The members then held a strike authorization vote in which 446 members out of 454 who voted, said yes to strike. That same day WGL management changed their offer from 16% wage increase to 18% with 5% coming in the first year of the contract.
This new wage offer combined with a new holiday, improved leave policies, and more money for essential gear was shown to members for their consideration. A special Zoom call was put on to walk members through how the raises and changes to policy would impact them.
Of the 499 voting eligible members of the local, over 485 cast ballots. 396 voted yes to ratify their new contract (89 voted no), locking in the largest raises in Local 96 history.
