Union (International Association of Machinists) Leaders Embrace New AK Steel Offer (rejected in Oct)

[Omaha Steve]

http://money.excite.com/jsp/nw/nwdt_rt_top.jsp?news_id=ap-d8mc0gco0&



Union Leaders Embrace New AK Steel Offer

Sunday December 31, 1:57 PM EST

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (AP) — With the lockout at AK Steel's Middletown Works entering its 11th month, leaders of the union representing some 1,800 workers have done an about-face. They are now embracing contract terms that members overwhelmingly rejected in October.

The union has dropped its opposition to outsourcing work, the union president said, but wants assurances that the company won't use rigorous back-to-work physicals as a way to get rid of hundreds of longtime employees and strip them of pension and health care benefits.

"I think the big reason the contract was voted down was the lack of any right to protect our members from that sort of dismissal," said Brian Daley, president of the International Association of Machinists Local Lodge 1943.

Daley said union leaders endorse the company proposal — which they refused to do when it was put to a ratification vote — with only the addition of a medical grievance procedure during the callback period.

FULL story at link above.

[unkachuck]

1. this is sad....

"AK Steel stock has been trading near its yearly high of $17.14 a share"....why isn't there more unrest at the other plants?....

....is Middletown Works the only plant locked-out?....does Mansfield, Zanesville, Coshocton, Ashland, Rockport and Butler have seperate contracts?....

....can't the IAM run through the other working plants and find 50 million dollars worth of safety violations in support of Middletown?....