Congrats to one of the Unions in WV!!!!

[bhs7695 185]

They have managed to kill another 700-1,000 jobs in WV by forcing the shutdown of a manufacturing plant in the state. Good luck to those employees that are now going to be out of work because of the Union they paid so much of their paycheck to over the years.

 

I though the Unions were supposed to protect the employees they represent and not throw them out on the streets!! Unions in the U.S. continue to contribute to the destruction of American jobs!!!!! Wake up people!!!!

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/News/201007110398?page=2&build=cache

 

July 11, 2010

 

Alcan Rolled Products announced Sunday that it has begun an orderly shutdown of its aluminum rolling mill in Ravenswood.

 

By Zac Taylor, Staff writer

The Charleston Gazette

 

RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. -- Alcan Rolled Products announced Sunday that it has begun an orderly shutdown of its aluminum rolling mill in Ravenswood.

 

The announcement follows the vote late last week by United Steelworkers Local 5668 to strike at the plant, which is Jackson County's largest employer, starting Tuesday morning.

 

Members of the union announced Saturday morning they voted down the company's latest contract offer 397-251 and were authorizing a strike within 72 hours -- or at 7 a.m. Tuesday. The contract covers about 700 of the 1,000 workers at the plant.

 

"Through its negative vote, the local union has placed in jeopardy the future of the plant and the 1,000 jobs that it offers," Alcan-Ravenswood said in a news release Sunday evening.

 

The company's final offer included wage and pension increases in the two years of agreement along with the preservation of the employees' free health insurance plan, which the news release states is a rarity in manufacturing.

 

Union staff representative Randy Moore said he would not comment on the union's contract demands. He said that a plant shutdown was expected and supported as soon as the order to strike was issued.

 

"This is exactly in line for what has been said to transpire," Moore said.

 

"We gave the notice for the ," he said. "When we can get these issues resolved, we hopefully can start things back up pretty easily."

 

The total cost the company would have had to pay for the agreement is $64.7 million, the release states. Health care was expected to cost the company $33.5 million alone.

 

"[saturday's] action by the union also places in jeopardy the $10 million loan that the state of West Virginia was planning to make to the plant," according to the release. Alcan was expected to use the money to improve the facilities and help the plant remain competitive.

 

Alcan had also promised to spend $86 million to further upgrade the plant. The company said it would make no further investments in the plant until after a new agreement is reached and operational improvements are initiated.

 

Morrie Newell, company spokesman, said he would not give any extra information that was not in the press release. The plant is prepared to shut down when the strike is scheduled to start Tuesday.

 

Last year, Alcan laid off 168 workers at the Ravenswood plant.

 

Kaiser Aluminum operated the Ravenswood plant between 1959 and 1989 when Century Aluminum -- then called Ravenswood Aluminum -- bought it.

 

Last February, the plant laid off 651 people when Century Aluminum shut down its smelting plant, which is next to Alcan's plant.

 

Alcan produces 650 million pounds of rolled aluminum and alloy plate a year, which is used to make airplanes, railroad cars, trucks, boats and armored vehicles.

[bucfan64 309]

I have always supported the Unions, but in all honesty the Unions have "unioned" themselves right out of jobs. They are gradually destroying the American economy.......

[GMan 3,569]

There's another community that will dry up and blow away...

[bhs7695 185]

Ravenswood was already hurting from the Century Aluminum shutdown in 2009 and now this. Don't look now, but AEP may/will file for another rate increase to offset this loss of revenue from Alcan.

 

Union people and supporters are quick to point the finger at the business for "seeing only dollar signs" when things like this happen. Over time, Unions have shown what they are all about as well: MONEY! Check out what the United Auto Workers has wasted millions of Union dues on. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472304,00.html

 

Pop quiz: I know for a fact that a company that I associate with made a proposal to their Union employees last Spring that they could help each other out and the company if they would agree to forgo their cost of living raises for one year. In turn, there would be a greatly reduced number of layoffs (if any) during that one year. That company's management and non-Union employees had already forgone their cost of living raises for that same time period.

 

Can anyone guess what the Union's choice was??

[Deleted Account 5,203]

There's another community that will dry up and blow away...

 

My dad used to drive a truck that delivered to that very plant.

My aunt got laid off in June due to UAW cutbacks. She'd worked at Lear for 16 years...

 

And why people in SWVA constantly stand for and vote for causes that kill their very livelihood is beyond me. The epitome of sheep marching themselves to the slaughter. Keep voting Democrat and supporting those unions!

[bhs7695 185]

Not so fast my friend.....

 

Where in the hell was this thinking from the Union geniuses last week?? They think they are all high and mighty playing a chess game and end up looking like complete fools!

 

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/News/201007120450

 

July 12, 2010

 

Steelworkers call off Alcan strike

 

By Paul J. Nyden, Staff writer

The Charleston Gazette

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- United Steelworkers of America Local Union 5668 announced at noon on Monday that it was calling off a planned strike at Alcan Rolled Products in Ravenswood. The strike would have begun at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

 

Calling off the strike averts a planned shutdown of the plant Alcan announced Sunday.

 

"All employees are to continue to report to work as scheduled until otherwise notified," said a statement issued by Jason Miller and Dave Martin, president and vice president of Local 5668. The union represents 700 of 1,000 employees working at Alcan's plant.

 

Miller declined to make any additional comments.

 

Randy Moore, a staff representative from the international USW, based in Pittsburgh, said union officials are preparing to meet with company executives to discuss the proposed contract.

 

The planned strike was announced on Saturday, after local union members rejected the contract proposed by Alcan, 397-251, in votes cast Thursday and Friday.

 

In an earlier vote, held on June 10-11, a previous version of the contract was rejected, 508-105.

 

Moore said Local 5668 withdrew its "strike notice in response to the company's statement that it was waiting 'to meet and discuss next steps and possible resolution of the remaining issues' in bargaining....

 

"The union will continue to work under the terms of the previous agreement," Moore added.

 

West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenneth Perdue said, "It's good to hear that they will stay at the bargaining table and continue to have discussions to resolve this contract dispute in a manner that keeps the plant open.

 

"The way things are in corporate America today, it could be an opportunity a company could use to shut a facility down. We need to do everything we can to make sure these plants stay open.

 

"They put food on the table for our families. They all need to sit down and talk," Purdue said.

 

Steve Roberts, president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, said, "I think it is a very good thing that the sides are going to continue to talk, to air their concerns and solve problems.

 

"I think it is going to be noticed nationally that this decision has been made to call off the strike and keep working. It has very positive ramifications for West Virginia."

 

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said, "I am very encouraged to hear the news that Alcan workers and the company will return to the bargaining table.

 

"Every single Alcan job matters so much to the Ravenswood community, and to these families, and to me," Rockefeller said. "It is my hope that both sides will be able to reach an agreement soon that is beneficial to both the workers and to the future of the company in Ravenswood."

 

Eli Morris, Local 5668's grievance chairman, said the "union is preparing a comprehensive proposal that addresses our members' needs while responding to the company's concern to operate a facility that is competitive in the global market."

 

In his Monday statement, Morris said both the company and union want "a plant that is operating with state-of-the-art equipment and profitability which ensures production here in Ravenswood into the foreseeable future."

 

In early June, Gov. Joe Manchin announced the state would lend Alcan $10 million to help upgrade the Ravenswood plant. Alcan promised to spend $86 million to improve the facility.

 

In a statement released Sunday evening, Alcan spokesman Morrie Newell said, "As stated throughout the past two months of negotiations and contract extensions, the company will not operate the plant with anything other than bargaining-unit employees.

 

"The company awaits a request from the union to meet and discuss next steps and possible resolution of the remaining issues."

 

Alcan said it believes "operational improvements must be made" at the Ravenswood plant to remain competitive in the global aluminum market.

 

Newell's statement added that Alcan's new contract includes wage and pension increases. It also preserves "a free-to-employee health insurance plan, a rarity in U.S. manufacturing,"