Fighting back against corporate power paid off for New York Local 3 members who won a new three-year contract at Wesco in June, ending a seven-day strike against the multinational electrical distribution and services company.

The deal includes wage increases every year and improves pension and health benefits, all without any givebacks. It covers about 60 Local 3 members employed at Wesco facilities in Queens and in Hauppauge, N.Y., on Long Island.

New York Local 3 Business Manager Christopher Erikson saluted the brothers and sisters for the solidarity they showed in the face of adversity.

"I couldn't be prouder of our members at Wesco who stuck together and demanded a fair contract and respect in the workplace," said Erikson, who is also chairman of the International Executive Council.

Local 3 had a generally good relationship with Wesco for decades. Most contract negotiations were amicable.

That wasn't the case this time. Despite record profits, the company sought to reduce its contributions to the pension and medical plans.

The strike began Monday, June 19, when the Local 3 members rejected what Wesco called its final offer. Thus began seven days of picketing by workers at both locations, with fellow members of Local 3, neighboring IBEW locals, other unions and allies joining in.

The two sides returned to the table June 26 and reached an agreement later that day.

"This outcome should be celebrated and a reminder to all employers who think workers can be underestimated, mistreated and undervalued," Erikson said. "With a fair agreement in place, we look forward to a renewed relationship with Wesco."

Local 3 officials thanked Long Island Locals 25 and 1049 and Westbury Local 1922 for their support, along with the New York City Central Labor Council, the Long Island Federation of Labor and the New York State AFL-CIO.

They also thanked the Long Island Progressive Coalition and other community allies.

Wesco is a Fortune 500 company based in Pittsburgh that specializes in the construction, maintenance and operation of electronic instruments and controls. It reported $1.4 billion in profit in 2022 from a record-high $21.4 billion in sales, an 18% increase over the previous year.

A bill introduced by Massachusetts Sen. Paul Feeney, a Boston Local 2222 member, would allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefits after 30 days out on the picket.

"Unemployment insurance comes out of workers' wages to carry us through hard times," Local 2222 Business Manager Myles Calvey said. "Striking to protect our wages, benefits and working conditions is a difficult but sometimes necessary step. For most workers, it is a hard time no different from a layoff, and unemployment insurance can let workers protect their rights without risking everything."

Feeney said the law is necessary because striking workers' eligibility for unemployment has fluctuated over the years in Massachusetts, leaving no guarantee of protection.

Workers from Local 2222 have received unemployment assistance during strikes only twice in the 35 years he has been business manager, Calvey said. Even then, in both cases they had to pay it back after the company challenged the payments in court.

"Our members received letters from the state informing them of this decision and had their state tax returns garnished until it was paid back in full," Calvey said. "In the first case, companies fought to take it away from us for 17 years until the courts finally agreed."

For Feeney, the bill is about giving workers a boost, however small, when they face off against billion-dollar companies.

"The corporation or employer in the middle of often contentious collective bargaining can weaponize certain unemployment benefits to coerce action and activity that is favorable to the employer and that adversely affects the worker," Feeney said during a Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development Committee hearing.

Nearly identical bills have failed to make it into law in recent years.

"Massachusetts fancies itself a liberal state, but it isn't a union state," Calvey said. "We have too many politicians who tell us they are all for our bills but then won't let them come up for a vote."

Feeney modeled the bill after New York state law, Calvey said.

"We jointly bargain with the New York unions representing Verizon members, and they do get unemployment benefits during a strike. Knowing union members could count on unemployment benefits, rather than that decision being left to the whim of whichever administration happens to be in office, is vital," Calvey said. "It may not happen this time, but we will see who our friends really are."