Update: Teamsters Local 251 Negotiations

RISD’s Offer to the Union

RISD’s last offer to the union included the following:

Wages: In the first year of our proposal, bargaining unit members will receive, on average, an immediate increase of wages by more than 10%. This includes an average of 6% market adjustments and a 4% general wage increase. 

Benefits: Since Teamsters Local 251 unionized, the union’s members have continued to receive the same benefits as all other RISD staff members. It has been our goal to negotiate terms of an agreement that, among other things, allows for our staff to maintain the benefits they have come to rely on. In keeping with that goal, RISD’s proposals related to benefits included, but were not limited to, the following: 

• retirement contributions of 8% of total earnings, regardless of whether an employee individually chooses to contribute or not
• high-quality medical coverage on a sliding cost scale where, with respect to this group, RISD pays on average 90% of the cost for either an employee only or a family coverage selection 
• time off benefits including four weeks of paid vacation accrued from date of hire (which can be used before it’s been accrued) and additional paid time-off benefits including 14 paid holidays, eight sick days, two personal days, and paid parental and bereavement leave