Kaiser, Union Go Back To The Table

The search for a solution to the 15-month-old dispute between Kaiser Aluminum and the United Steelworkers union resumes Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

The talks are scheduled to take place through Friday, which is the one-year anniversary of the lockout imposed when Kaiser rejected the union’s offer to return to work under terms of an expired contract.

A one-day session in Chicago last month set the stage for this week’s talks.

Kaiser President Ray Milchovich will participate in the bargaining talks for the first time since the Steelworkers went on strike on Sept. 30, 1998. The Steelworkers will be represented by two top officials: Bernard Kleiman, special assistant, and Ron Bloom, assistant to USWA President George Becker.

In other events this week:

Monday

Washington Mint Growers kick off a two-day convention at the DoubleTree Hotel in Pasco. For information, call (509) 547-5538 or e-mail maurer@owt.com.

Tuesday

“Negotiating Rugged Terrain” is the theme of this year’s Ag Expo and Farm Forum, which begins a three-day run at the Ag Trade Center, DoubleTree Hotel City Center and Spokane Arena. Call 1 (888) 374-EXPO.

* Bonneville Power Administration’s Transmission Business Line presents a transmission rate case workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 911 NE 9th Ave. in Portland. The workshop continues Wednesday. Additional information is available online at http://www.transmission.bpa.gov/tbllib/Rate Case/default.htm.

Thursday

Leads Club, a networking organization for business leads and referrals, holds an informational meeting for the purpose of chartering a downtown chapter at noon at C.I. Shenanigan’s, 332 N. Spokane Falls Court. For reservations or information, call Beth Ann at 921-9581.

* Pacific Lutheran University’s Center for Executive Development presents a public seminar on “Lean Manufacturing — Practices & Techniques” at the Seattle Marriott in Seattle. The course continues through Friday. For information, call (253) 535-7330 or check online at http://www.plu.edu/~execdeve.

Friday

Mayor John Talbott will deliver his State of the City address during a meeting of the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce at 7:30 a.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel Spokane City Center. For information, call 624-1393.

* U.S. Labor Department reports consumer price index for December.