Employees at Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated's warehouse center in St. Albans voted 82-1 to ratify a new contract with Teamsters Local 175 on Saturday morning.

Members cast secret ballots at the local union's headquarters in South Charleston approving a new three-year contract that covers 93 employees.

The new contract includes wage increases ranging from $1.70 an hour and $1.95 an hour. The top wage will now become more than $18.00 an hour. The contract gives similar increases to commission sales employees.

Coca-Cola agreed to increase its contributions to its employee pension plans by more than 12.5 percent.

Company employees will also get an improved medical plan, including better dental and vision benefits, as well as an increase of more than $1 million for employees needing major medical care.

Ken Hall, president of Local 175, praised local union leaders, including Secretary-Treasurer Ralph Winter, for "a job well done."

"These negotiations represent the positive outcome that can occur when unions are willing to address the company's concerns and the company recognizes the value of the employee's hard work by being willing to provide reasonable benefits and compensation equivalent to others employed in the beverage industry.

"The end result is that the company's customers continue to receive the service they deserve, which is beneficial to both parties," said Hall, who is also an international vice president of the Teamsters, the largest union in the country.

Local 175 currently represents 400 people employed by companies in West Virginia's beverage industry, including Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Central Distributing (a distributor of Budweiser products) and Capitol Beverage (a distributor of Miller, Coors and several imported beers).

To contact staff writer Paul J. Nyden, use e-mail or call 348-5164.

Employees at Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated's warehouse center in St. Albans voted 82-1 to ratify a new contract with Teamsters Local 175 on Saturday morning.

Members cast secret ballots at the local union's headquarters in South Charleston approving a new three-year contract that covers 93 employees.

The new contract includes wage increases ranging from $1.70 an hour and $1.95 an hour. The top wage will now become more than $18.00 an hour. The contract gives similar increases to commission sales employees.

Coca-Cola agreed to increase its contributions to its employee pension plans by more than 12.5 percent.

Company employees will also get an improved medical plan, including better dental and vision benefits, as well as an increase of more than $1 million for employees needing major medical care.

Ken Hall, president of Local 175, praised local union leaders, including Secretary-Treasurer Ralph Winter, for "a job well done."

"These negotiations represent the positive outcome that can occur when unions are willing to address the company's concerns and the company recognizes the value of the employee's hard work by being willing to provide reasonable benefits and compensation equivalent to others employed in the beverage industry.

"The end result is that the company's customers continue to receive the service they deserve, which is beneficial to both parties," said Hall, who is also an international vice president of the Teamsters, the largest union in the country.

Local 175 currently represents 400 people employed by companies in West Virginia's beverage industry, including Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Central Distributing (a distributor of Budweiser products) and Capitol Beverage (a distributor of Miller, Coors and several imported beers).

To contact staff writer Paul J. Nyden, use e-mail or call 348-5164.