Housekeepers Ratify First Contract with Mount Holyoke

Twenty-six housekeepers have ratified their first contract with Mount Holyoke, a three-year pact that caps more than three months of discussion between the College and the newly formed bargaining unit. The contract was ratified unanimously in a May 24 vote by the members of the bargaining unit, Local 2322 of the United Auto Workers. The workers voted to affiliate with the union in November 2000.

The contract addresses worker concerns about the recognition of seniority, break periods, and the tools and equipment used by housekeepers. Carried over into the agreement are many of the policies established for non-bargaining unit staff, including wages, time off, health, life and disability insurance, and tuition benefits.

The housekeepers will receive a 4 percent raise this July 1, as will the non-bargaining unit staff at the College. The second and third years of the contract each call for raises of three percent. Pension benefits for current bargaining unit employees will remain unchanged. New hires will be eligible for a different but comparable pension plan.