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MANSFIELD, Ohio — Members of United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Local 169 have been locked out of the Armco, Inc., steel mill here since 11 p.m. August 31. The union has responded with informational picket lines at all three gates.
Armco, a rolling mill that makes specialty stainless steel for auto parts, presented USWA members with its "final contract offer" just hours before the lockout, demanding the local vote on it at their meeting scheduled for that afternoon. Local 169 had offered to extend the contract and to give 48 hours notice before striking. Instead, that night the gates of a newly installed barbed-wire fence were closed on those who showed up to work the 11 p.m. shift.
The main issue is a company demand to institute forced overtime. For at least the last year, workers have been getting by on 32 hours' pay, and a few are currently laid off. While most would like a 40-hour week because of the pay, they don't want last-minute forced overtime. Local union officials say they think Armco wants to reduce the labor force from 620 to 453.
During the week leading up to the lockout, Armco brought in guards who harassed workers on the job in a supposed campaign against sabotage by the workers. One unionist was recently fired because he objected to having his ID inspected repeatedly by the same guard in his work area that day. On the night of the lockout many more guards appeared.
As part of the contract fight leading up to the lockout, USWA Local 169 sponsored a rally outside the plant in July that drew 1,000 people. Other workers driving by the picket line stopped to find out what was happening and show support.
Armco has a lawsuit pending against the USWA demanding damages for three alleged work stoppages in June and July. It also wants a court order for workers to report for all scheduled shifts, including overtime. A hearing is scheduled in federal court in Cleveland on September 16.
The locked-out steelworkers have received community solidarity. Starting from the first day people driving by the informational picket line have constantly stopped to get information and express their support. A group of USWA members from Mansfield Foundry, who had their own five-week strike during the summer, came by during the first week. Among those who visited on September 12 were workers at Ohio Edison, a Bosch plant, and at least one group of students.
On the early morning of September 10 hundreds of area union members gathered across the street from the south gate picket line. Among them were members of United Auto Workers Local 549 at the General Motors plant in Ontario, Ohio, and of USWA Local 8530 at Ideal Electric in Mansfield. It was the day after federal judge James Henson had reversed his original ruling that Armco could not bring in replacement workers. GM worker Bud Windsor Jr. told the daily News Journal of Mansfield, "I'm here to show support [to Local 169 members] and to protect these people's jobs...They [Armco] are doing our community raw. This town was built on unions."
When vans of security guards drove up to the gate, a confrontation ensued. Eight guards ended up in the hospital and four supporters of the Steelworkers were arrested.
On the picket line a couple days later, Paul Johns, who has 30 years at Armco, commented, "This is about having a life and getting treated with respect." He pointed out that "Armco has seriously miscalculated about us, and our resolve to take a stand here. Mansfield is a solid union town and they are not going to turn the town against us."
MONTREAL — "Although we didn't achieve all our demands, this is the best contract we have won at Rolls-Royce in the 10 years I've been here," said Mike Cadogan, a kitting storeman. "We now realize that it's only by sticking together and not giving in that we can achieve our goals."
On August 25 the 800 members of International Association of Machinists (IAM) Lodge 869 at Rolls-Royce Canada in Montreal voted 80 percent in favor of a conciliator's report that the company had agreed to accept. The company repairs and overhauls aero and industrial gas turbine engines.
After the previous contract expired in April, the company demanded a seven-day work schedule including a new 12-hour shift from Friday through Sunday. The company wanted to decide where and when to impose this shift if the existing Monday to Friday eight-hour shifts didn't meet production needs. The company also pushed for greater job cross-training under the rubric of multitasks. This posed the elimination of jobs and layoffs in the future. Finally, the company wanted a five-year contract and offered a 10 percent wage raise. Workers voted 100 percent to reject this offer June 14.
A second company offer dropped most proposals for cross-training, offered a 10 percent wage increase over three years, and added a wide range of improved benefits. It also retained the proposed 12-hour shift from Friday to Sunday, but with increased overtime pay for Saturdays and Sundays. Current employees were to be exempted unless they volunteered. However all new employees could be forced on to this shift.
The union bargaining committee recommended the offer. On August 5, workers at a packed meeting jeered during the presentation of the company's offer by the negotiating committee. Many workers believed the company would find ways to force people onto this shift despite the "voluntary" wording. Others feared that once this shift composed of new employees and volunteers was established, the company would be in a better position to impose it on everyone in the next set of negotiations.
The meeting lasted more than four and a half hours. Only one worker spoke in favor of the offer from the floor. Workers rejected the proposal in a secret ballot vote, with 86 percent opposed, and then voted 95% to give the negotiating committee a strike mandate.
The negotiating committee then organized a work-to-rule campaign, a boycott of all overtime, and a series of other job actions. Some days workers took an extra 30 minute lunch break. Other days everyone punched out early.
On August 12 all 400 day-shift workers marched through the plant for an hour, passing the company president's office and walking through various upstairs offices, blowing whistles and chanting "so so so solidarité." That day the company contacted the Quebec Department of Labor and asked for a conciliator.
The conciliator's report, which the company accepted, dropped the 12-hour weekend shift proposal, all remaining proposals for cross-training, and strengthened a clause against the subcontracting of work. The improvements in wages and benefits contained in the second offer were all retained.
Jérome Diman, an inspector, thought the massive rejection of the second offer and the subsequent job actions were "decisive" in the company's backing down.
Debbie Curotte, a processor, said, "We've had no protection on subcontracting before and now at least they have to justify continuing any subcontracting if there are layoffs." On August 24, the day prior to the vote on the conciliator's report, Pratt and Whitney, a major aerospace firm based in Montreal and rival of Rolls-Royce, announced the layoff of 700 plant and office staff.
Robert Fougère, a machinist-fitter and veteran of a 22-month strike at Pratt and Whitney in 1974–76, voted against the offer. "This was the most serious fight I've seen here in 20 years but we should have gotten more for the pension," he said, expressing a sentiment shared by many who voted no.
"We just slowed the company down. They'll come back with the 12-hour shift and the multitasks again next time," said André Baril, an electrician with 20 years in the plant. Nonetheless, he added, "seeing people sticking together scared the company."
SAN FRANCISCO — One thousand hotel workers and their supporters demonstrated in front of the Westin-St. Francis Hotel here September 6 to demand a new union contract.
The previous contract between 8,000 members of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees (HERE) Local 2 and 50 San Francisco hotels and motels expired August 14. The hotel owners have refused to reduce the work load of housekeepers, increase health benefits, and bring a serious wage proposal to the union.
At an August 19 meeting, 3,200 workers voted by a 98% margin to authorize a strike. On September 2, the union organized informational pickets in front of the downtown San Francisco Hyatt Regency, Sheraton Palace, Holiday Inn, and Fairmont Hotels, as well as the Holiday Inn at Fisherman's Wharf. The week before, workers at three hotels stopped work for 15 to 20 minutes and gathered in lobbies for union business meetings.
A wide range of unionists joined the hotel workers at the rally. Five Teamsters now on strike for two months against Basic Vegetable in King City, California, made the 150 mile drive to San Francisco to demonstrate with the hotel workers. "We should take our strike to the city," one Teamster told this reporter as they passed out leaflets and talked with workers about their fight.
A contingent of San Francisco school bus drivers, members of United Transportation Union Local 1741, sought support in their fight for full-time work and a pay increase from Laidlaw Transit. They invited HERE members to join them in a Community/Labor Solidarity Rally September 15.
Other participants included unionists in the Service Employees International Union, United Food and Commercial Workers, International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union, and Carpenters. As part of the rally, Local 2 officials organized a sit-in in front of the Westin-St. Francis hotel. Cops arrested 147 participants.
On average, housekeepers in the big hotels are required to clean 15 rooms a day. Their supply carts may weigh as much as 200 pounds. Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and back injuries are widespread among the housekeepers, 99 percent of whom are women. They want the room quota lowered, and a pay raise to at least $13.50 an hour from the current $12.
The union is targeting 11 major hotels whose owners are part of a multi-employer group, with the aim of using an agreement with them as a pattern for the remaining 39.
Local 2 has also been carrying out an organizing drive to win union recognition at the large San Francisco Marriott Hotel.
WILLIAMSPORT, Maryland —After nearly 10 weeks on the picket line outside of Redland Brick Inc. in Williamsport, Maryland, members of Teamsters Local 992 approved a new contract by a vote of 43 to 28. The 108 workers at the plant walked out when their contract expired on June 18 after rejecting 88–4 the company's offer, which had also been endorsed by Teamster officials. Two of the important issues in the strike were improved retirement benefits and sick pay.
The new five-year contract allows retired workers to purchase health insurance through the company's plan until they turn 65. Most workers will get a 50-cent raise, some will get $1, while others will get nothing. Under the agreement the approximately 30 replacement workers will retain their jobs. Union workers with the least seniority will not be recalled but will be placed on a preferential hiring list for future jobs.
The workers maintained pickets outside the plant 24 hours a day through the course of the strike. They were greeted by frequent honks of support from passing motorists. Unionists from several nearby auto plants, as well as from a large tannery across the street organized by the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees offered support.
Through the course of the walkout, the striking Teamsters stood up to cop surveillance and harassment and a sweeping court injunction aimed at limiting the number of strikers, chairs, and even coolers that could be on the picket line. Once on strike, the unionists voted down two additional contract offers brought to them by the Teamsters negotiating committee before finally approving the fourth proposal.
Bernard Henson, a 23-year veteran at the brick plant, pointed to the fact that the company did not win its goal of breaking the union. Many are stronger in their resolve to win dignity on the job, he pointed out. "I'm staying with the union," was the way he summed it up.
Henry Hillenbrand, member of USWA Local 185 in Cleveland; Jim Upton, member of IAM Lodge 869 in Montreal; Omari Musa, member of United Transportation Union Local 239 in San Francisco; and USWA member Brian Williams and Dave Salner in Maryland contributed to this column.
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