A month of negotiations then ensued over these issues, resolving in the dual seniority system that will protect all the workers. Workers stood firm on this issue and the company had to agree that such a system could only be implemented after successful negotiations with the union and with ratification by the membership. The final agreements include the following. An agreement that at the expiration of the Fellows contract in January 2003, there would be an attempt to negotiate one single contract, that includes the dual seniority systems. Bryant workers do not have to wait to be severed but can elect voluntary severance at anytime.
Workers can collect unemployment, severance pay and pension if they qualify.
About 15 Bryant workers could be eligible for this. Fellows workers will receive additional inequity raises of .30 per hour the first year and up to .25 per hour the second year to start the process of having parity in all wage classifications. There were also improvements in the Bryant pension plan and to the sickness and accident plan. The agreements include lengthy language on how the dual seniority system will work. The Bryant negotiating committee consisted of Brahm Muther , Mike Woychosky , John Claflin , Ron Gilbert , Chris Coughlin , Dave Hryckiewicz , Russ Abbott , Ron Corliss , and John Water .