Job Security A Top Priority Kaiser, Workers At Odds Over Offer

With more than 1,000 pages to study, Steelworker negotiators already have said they don’t like Kaiser Aluminum’s latest contract proposal, which would eliminate about 700 jobs at five plants.

The company, meanwhile, says the proposal offers a 10 percent improvement in the economic package over its previous offer and hopes it’s the basis of a settlement.

However, the union says the 3,000 hourly workers on strike since Sept. 30 at Kaiser plants in Spokane, Tacoma, Gramercy, La., and Newark, Ohio., do not take the proposed job cuts lightly.

“The bottom line appears to be that every one of our members’ jobs would be at risk if we would agree to Kaiser’s demands,” said union negotiator Bob Bratulich.

Presidents of plant locals also expressed disappointment with the offer as they continue to review it.

They brought the proposal to locals Friday and scheduled sessions for union members to see it next week. A formal response to the company before the end of the year is unlikely, the union said.

Bargaining teams had met briefly Thursday in San Francisco. Union negotiators left the session, claiming the company was changing the ground rules of the talks when a company attorney asked the union to confirm that “all issues dividing the parties were made clear and were on the record.” A federal mediator delivered the offer to the union.

Larry Strom, Mead local vice president, said, “I think it’s totally designed to flip this thing on the table and keep it right in front of people’s faces while they’re totally stressed for the holidays.”

But Kaiser said the proposal is large and thorough because the union requested more information.

“A lot of thought went into it, obviously,” said Susan Ashe, spokeswoman for Kaiser. “It is certainly a detailed and comprehensive package. That’s what they said they wanted.”

This offer is the first from the company since the strike began.

Key points in the proposal include:

A $1,000 ratification bonus, up from the $750 offered earlier.

A wage increase of $3.13 per hour over five years, up from the $2.75 in the Sept. 30 proposal.

A higher allocation of wage increases for highly-skilled job classifications.

Elimination of “antiquated” work rules and restrictions on the company’s ability to hire contractors.

The company expects these changes to allow elimination of about 700 jobs.

A $35 million package of enhanced retirement benefits and severance payments for employees affected by job reductions.

Postponing the scheduled Jan. 1, 2000, cap on medical insurance for retirees to Jan. 1, 2005.

“We have said repeatedly that the main issues for the union and our members in these negotiations are job and retirement security, modernization of our plants and continuation of good-paying employment security in our communities,” Bratulich said.

“While we remain committed to helping this company achieve productivity improvements at our plants, we will not agree to grant Kaiser the unilateral right to give away our members’ jobs through wholesale, unrestricted and unjustified contracting out,” he said.

Meetings to discuss the proposal with union members at the Trentwood plant are scheduled for Tuesday at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the union hall on Trent.

For steelworkers at Mead, meetings Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. are scheduled at the Carpenters Union Hall in Spokane.

“I don’t know what people’s expectations here are,” said Strom. “But when you’re getting something in the range of 1,000 pages, there’s a lot to digest.”

STRIKING WORKERS TO STUDY OFFER Meetings to discuss the proposal with union members at the Trentwood plant are scheduled for Tuesday at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the union hall on Trent. For Steelworkers at Mead, meetings are scheduled for Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Carpenters Union Hall in Spokane.