Service and maintenance workers in the seven-campus University of Maine System have voted to accept a new two-year contract with the system that includes wage increases.
The union’s approximately 550 workers will get a $750 one-time payment in the first year and a wage increase of 4.5 percent to 5 percent, depending on health-care changes, in the second year, according to Lorne Smith of Teamsters Local 340. The contract maintains current health care benefits.
“Health care is a major issue as the cost continues to rise rapidly,” Smith said. “We will be dealing with this issue again in the next round.”
Ten percent of the union workers earn less than $11 per hour.
CORRECTION: This story was updated at 4:36 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2016 to clarify the percentage of workers who earn less than $11 per hour.
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