LORDSTOWN — Employees at the HomeGoods regional distribution center have ratified a three-year collective bargaining agreement with 98 percent approval.

The contract that will cover about 700 workers in the Mahoning Valley includes a $3 wage increase, premium job pay and shift differential, according to a release Friday.

Also, workers can choose from two health care plans, receive vacation time after one year of service and will earn sick time.

Distribution center workers chartered Local 3121 with the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United.

Kathy Hanshew, Joint Board president and international vice president of Workers United, said she’s excited about the possibilities of strengthening the Mahoning Valley communities.

“The goal of the union is to always strive to improve the lives of the workers benefiting their families and their communities; that is what we have done here,” she said.

A spokesman for TJX Companies Inc., the parent company of HomeGoods, declined to comment on the contract approval.

Mike Heeter of Warren was a member of the bargaining committee.

“This contract is so important for the future prosperity of our Valley,” he said. “It is fantastic to see the tide turning, and the workers starting to realize how much power they actually have.”

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, said, “The success of TJX is a huge win for our community, and this agreement is a huge win for Ohio and the more than 700 workers at the heart of this facility. This success is exactly what happens when we check our egos at the door and work together.”

Workers United has a long history in Ohio. Traditionally a textile union, it has grown into the leading union in the organizing efforts in the distribution-center industry. Workers United represents TJX distribution workers in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania. Georgia, Virginia, Nevada, Alabama, Arizona and Canada.

The approximately 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse opened earlier this year. It supplies merchandise for HomeGoods, an off-price home fashion and decor retailer.

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