A new collective bargaining agreement, signed Aug. 12, focuses on making union Boilermaker work more attractive to skilled tradespeople in the Southeast Area and boosting union manpower. The Southeast Area CBA increases Boilermaker hourly wages, subsistence reimbursement and meal caps, among other favorable changes.
A few highlights of the new CBA include:
- Hourly wage increases totaling $9 over the three-year contract, at $3 annual increments.
- A subsistence reimbursement increase from $50 to $75 per day for those traveling over 60 miles.
- The meal cap increases from $8 to $20 when meals are required to be provided after three hours of unscheduled overtime and every four hours thereafter.
“Everyone stayed on point knowing if we don’t attract Boilermaker manpower, we’re not going to be able to keep Boilermakers or man the work for our contractors and owners,” said International Rep Mike Autry, who participated in negotiations.
The CBA also brought the agreement up-do-date with practices already in place, such as adjusting shift times to reflect current practices.
“The committees met in good faith, and both sides came to a fair and reasonable contract for the next three years,” said NACBE Executive Director Ron Traxler, who represented Southeast Area signatory contractors. “Both sides had an end goal in mind to deliver and enhance the Southeast Area agreement. We were very pleased with everyone’s professionalism and courtesy during these important decisions regarding all our futures. I’m proud of what the parties collectively accomplished in securing the new agreement."
IVP-Southeast Area Jeff Campbell agreed: “Ultimately, the agreement we signed addresses the issue impacting us all, and that's manpower. When Boilermakers can attract the best skilled and trained workers to man the work for our contractors and employers, everyone benefits."
The new three-year agreement went into effect Oct. 1, 2025, and expires Sept. 30, 2028.