Posted on 03/01/2006 4:07:01 AM PST by Flavius
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (AP) -- AK Steel locked out nearly 2,700 hourly workers after their contract expired without a new agreement early Wednesday, and will use temporary workers to continue filling orders, a company spokesman said.
ADVERTISEMENT AK Steel Holding Corp. and its union workers disagreed over the company's demand that it be able to reduce the work force, freeze pensions and require employees to pay more of their health costs, among other issues.
Union members had recently voted to allow union leaders to authorize a strike if negotiations failed.
Salaried employees and temporary replacements will allow the company to continue meeting customers' needs for now, said company spokesman Alan McCoy.
Customers have "counted on us for 105 years," McCoy said. "We'd like to continue serving them for another 105."
Brian Daley, president of Armco Employees Independent Federation, informed hundreds of workers gathered outside the union hall about the lockout when he arrived from negotiations shortly after midnight.
He said the union had offered to continue working under the terms of the existing contract, but the company refused. He said both sides agreed to continue negotiating, but no talks had been scheduled.
"We have been trying to do everything we can to get a contract," Daley said.
Company officials wanted a contract based on one negotiated last year at its Ashland Works in Kentucky, which they said would allow the company to remain competitive.
That contract froze the company's pension plan, reduced the number of job classifications so that workers can handle more duties, eliminated guarantees on the number of workers at the plant and increased employees' share of health care expenses.
AK Steel produces flat-rolled carbon, stainless and electrical steels, along with tubular steel products, for customers in the automotive, appliance, construction and manufacturing markets.
Shares of AK Steel fell 3.6 percent, or 41 cents, to $11.10 in trading Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange.
Associated Press writer Dan Sewell in Middletown contributed to this report
When I was a young sprout I used to watch the hot slag trains going from Armco in New Miami up to Middletown. At night they glowed red hot in the darkness as they rolled on the tracks.
In Chicago, where I grew up, we had a slag dump two blocks over. We used to go play near the glowing slag in the Winter. We'd take our shirts off and stand there watching traffic go by in 20 degree weather. We'd also throw railroad ties into the slag and watch them burn. It was like magma from volcano.
I wonder what's up with that?
More selfish, wealthy Republicans, trying to screw the little guy, while planning to outsource their business to the Asian Continent, no doubt.
Ain't that funny. 3 of us from different parts of the country with the same childhood memories. And now telling them from different parts of the world...lol.
Steel was a big industry in the U.S. Gave people a lot of jobs before unionn, regulation, taxation and greed took their toll.
You forgot to mention keeping up with technology. There is nothing more expensive to operate than an old outdated steel mill. Unless it is an old outdated union steel mill. The rest of the world eclipsed us and we couldn't afford to be competitive, or just maybe it was impossible to be competitive, because of the things you mentioned and more.
You are right. Did you know the "continuous cast" method of making steel (the way almost all steel is made today) was invented here in the U.S? My father was on the team of guys that invented and perfected it in the early '60s. After we had a few mills going making steel that way we invited the Swiss, German and Japanese in to see the way it was made. They went back, improved some things and built newer mills. US Steel never thought there would be any substantial competition so they never put any money into renovation.
L
I know. I worked at South Works up until '80. That area was bad back then. Where I grew up on 98th and Manistee was a very nice area. We had everything we needed in that six block square area; churches, schools, stores, etc. I don't know about that area. I do have some relatives that still live there so it can't be that bad.
I am utterly disgusted with most Unions.
I am in the process of doing a trade show at the Javitss Center and you would be beyond shocked at the rates for a "Decorator". They won't even let you bring in your own things! Its disgusting.
I have a lib friend of mine sharing the booth and she instantly became anti-union seeing what is going on.
UNIONS KILL!
Legalized extortion is the phrase that springs to mind.
L
Its unreal. The "decorator" is probably some Genovese crime family lackey, and they get $183.00 per hour. WTF??
Should be no more than $15.oo per hour. Its unreal.
To get wireless internet for us to show our website for two days is $1,100.00. I guess no website!
The cost to get any electricity is $300.00 just for the plug!
I have never seen such crap in my life.
Ain't union labor great?
L
That's why Dallas is picking up a lot of trade shows that used to be held in NYC and Chicago.
Its unfreaking real. It literally is going to double our costs of the show itself because of these bums.
And you know for damn sure that they will take their time doing everything.
I have been to a couple of print shows. I helped set one up at Javits. They threatened to walk off because I put one wire in a terminal. It cost us about $500 cash to get them to stay.
The union situation at the Philly convention center is so bad that the Inquirer has been writing articles about it. I remember an article about a year ago about how the unions were throwing their usual fit because the Cirque de Soile, (sp?) wanted to put up their own trapeze rigging and the unions said that was their job. Acrobats' life depends on the rigging -- they wanted to make sure it was put up right.
Its a real eye opener to anyone.
We paid about $2,000 to have a 10x10 spot. However, with all the extra nonsen, it will almost double our cost for these leeches.
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