Production union members approve new contract offer with GE Appliance Park in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Production union members at Louisville's GE Appliance Park voted yes Wednesday on their latest contract offer.

Members of IUE-CWA Local 83761 approved the latest agreement in a 70-30 vote to avoid going on strike.

Bus loads of workers cast their vote at the union hall from 4 a.m. to about 6:30 p.m.

"We love to work in GE, but beside the work you have to think about your family," Anil Khadka, an employee said. "And gas, rent, mortgage, food, everything goes up."

IUE-CWA Local 83761 represents more than 5,000 production workers in Louisville. The negotiations for the new contract also included boiler house employees.

Negotiations began in October. Last month, 73% of union members rejected a deal with the company just weeks before their current contract expired Dec. 31. For some, their no vote came down to wages.

The rejected deal was a four-year agreement that included raises for all production employees, a one-time cash bonus and improved benefits.

Union President Dino Driskell said Wednesday this new contract will give members raises and will drop their health care deductibles by 60%. There will be a tier system, allowing workers to get raises every certain number of years. They will also get an additional holiday.

"You always want more," Driskell said. "We always want more for our members. We were at the table, we were still bargaining for more and we got a last, best and final, and it was something that we thought was a move in the right direction."

If this offer wasn't approved, members were prepared to go on strike, something many who spoke with WDRB Wednesday said they didn't want.

"We can't get unemployment when we go on strike," a worker who wanted to remain anonymous said. "We can only get strike benefits, and you have to be out there for 10 days before you can even get those, so I think the thought of being out for 10 days with no, nothing coming in made a lot of people afraid."

In a statement, GE said, in part, that it appreciates employees' commitment and the work they do every day to support its customers.

It was reported in July that GE Appliances was laying off 4% of all salaried employees, which did not include production workers.

GE is one of the largest employers in Louisville, with about 8,000 workers at Appliance Park. In 2023, it celebrated 70 years in the city.

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