Locked-out workers at MonoSol LLC's La Porte, Ind., plant are slated to consider a new contract proposal Friday, Dec. 23, according to the company.
News of the vote comes after 192 workers were locked out Nov. 30 after a previous four-year contract between the company and Teamsters Local 135 expired.
A federal mediator suggested changes to the company's earlier contract offer, which MonoSol has accepted, a company spokesman said.
"The mediator proposed an agreement in which MonoSol will increase the signing bonus, add to fourth year wages and guarantee no mandatory overtime for two years with the option to extend to a third year," the spokesman said in an email.
MonoSol, a unit of Kuraray Group, makes water-soluble films in La Porte facility that are then used to make laundry pods.
Production has stopped in La Porte but continues at two other MonoSol plants in nearby Portage, Ind., as well as a plant in Lebanon, Ind., near Indianapolis. The company, which also has manufacturing locations in the United Kingdom, Japan and Poland, indicated there is enough capacity elsewhere cover the lost production in La Porte.
A key sticking point in the dispute has been the amount of time workers are on the job. Union officials are complaining about mandatory overtime. MonoSol indicated the vast majority of overtime — 97 percent — is voluntary.