Teamsters ratify first contract at Waste Management in Calif.

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Teamsters at Local 683 celebrate their first contract.

Teamsters at Waste Management in El Cajon, Calif., this week overwhelmingly ratified their first contract, which provides solid pay increases and excellent benefits. The contract will cover 190 of our brothers and sisters who joined <="http://www.teamster.org/content/waste-management-workers-california-vote-join-local-683-san-diego" rel="nofollow">Teamster Local 683 in San Diego in March.

The Teamster drivers and mechanics will receive a $2.25 per hour wage increase over the life of the five-year contract. They also will join the Western Conference of Teamsters (WCT) Pension Plan, the largest collectively bargained pension plan in the United States. And they'll be members of a strong Teamster medical plan.

Here's another benefit of the contract: a solid grievance procedure that will protect workers from unfair disciplinary action. And still another: They'll work five days a week. Before winning their Teamster contract, they worked six days a week.

Todd Mendez, Local 683 secretary-treasurer, called it a strong first contract that addresses major issues. And he said,

We look forward to providing the workers with the excellent representation in the years to come.

Bob Morales, director of the <="http://www.teamster.org/content/solid-waste">Teamsters  Solid Waste, Recycling and Related Industries division, said Local 683 did a great job negotiating a strong first contract after winning the organizing campaign in March.

It shows that hard work pays off.