Kaiser, Union Accelerate Talks Discussions Come On The Heels Of Meeting Between Two Sides’ Bosses

Representatives of Kaiser Aluminum Corp. and the union members locked out of the company’s U.S. plants will meet in Pittsburgh Monday for a surprise round of talks both sides refuse to characterize as negotiations.

Friday’s announcement of the discussions follows a meeting Thursday in Pittsburgh between George Becker, president of the United Steelworkers of America, and Kaiser President Ray Milchovich. Other high-level officials from both sides also attended.

Kaiser and Steelworker negotiators already were scheduled to meet in Denver May 24 and 25, when the union said it will submit a new contract proposal.

Spokesmen for both sides have said they do not expect those talks to produce an agreement that would end the dispute that began as a strike by 3,000 Steelworkers last Sept. 30.

Kaiser employs 2,100 Steelworkers in Spokane. The two plants here and plants in Tacoma, Gramercy, La., and Newark, Ohio, have been manned by management and replacement staff.

In January, the strike became a lockout when the Steelworkers offered to return to work under the old contract, pending negotiation of a new one.

It was not clear Friday whether next week’s talks will speed a bargaining timetable distinguished mostly by short meetings and long periods of silence.

“I’m really concerned about expectations,” said Larry Strom, vice president of the Steelworker local that represents workers at the Mead smelter.

Although the talks are a good sign, he said, they will not of themselves produce a contract. “It’s easy to misconstrue what’s going on here,” he said.

Strom said officials hope the preliminary meeting will lay the groundwork for fruitful exchanges in Denver.

“We don’t have any great expectations,” agreed Dan Sampson, vice president of the local representing Trentwood workers.

He noted that Becker and Kaiser Chairman George Haymaker Jr. met early this year, but nothing came of the encounter, despite prodding from a federal mediator.

And Kaiser continues its efforts to frustrate Steelworker plans to attend the upcoming annual shareholder meeting, as well as that of Maxxam Inc., its corporate parent, Sampson said. Both meetings are May 19.

The union plans to send the presidents of all five affected locals to Pittsburgh, site of the Steelworkers’ international headquarters.

But Dan Russell, head of the Mead local, may not be able to attend, Strom said.

The local officials will be joined by chief negotiator Dave Foster, union general counsel Paul Whitehead, and Dick Davis, chairman of the union’s Aluminum Conference.

Kaiser will be represented by its master negotiating committee, said spokeswoman Susan Ashe.

That group includes chief negotiator Jeremy Sherman and Steve Booth, the company’s director of industrial relations.

Ashe said she did not know whether Haymaker or Milchovich would attend.