The Hamilton Spectator reported that union members at US Steel are crying foul over the company's latest hiring decisions.
The company laid off 46 union members at the same time it hired 50 retired workers on contracts to fill positions on the newly restarted galvanizing and Z lines.
Mr Rolf Gerstenberger, president of United Steel Workers Local 1005, said the action raises real doubts about the company's commitment to the Hamilton plant. He added that "You get a real feeling of doubt about whether they're going to be around in the future. You have to start wondering if they have any long-term plans for this plant."
In October 2011, when the company and union settled the 11 month lockout, about 250 workers were guaranteed only 26 weeks of work because their departments were not being restarted, including the blast furnace. That guarantee expired at the end of April 2012. Retirements and other vacancies ultimately shaved the number to be laid off to 46.
Previous collective agreements with the union have included a letter of understanding permitting the company to use retirees in temporary positions to train new workers. Supervisors have also been permitted to do union work for training purposes.
Sources familiar with the situation said the union withdrew that letter of understanding at the end of the six-month work guarantee period, prompting the company to bring retirees back as salaried staff on contracts that run to November 12th 2012. The contract positions pay USD 40 an hour compared to USD 33 an hour for union members doing the same work.
Sources also said that 29 of the 46 union members laid off signed waivers giving up the chance to be retrained for positions in the company. Many also passed on the chance to fill 16 vacant positions at the Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke.
In a recent bulletin to members, the union said that about 100 retirees were approached to take contract positions in what it calls a blatant violation of our contract.
The union says many of those contracted retirees are being employed in departments where US Steel and Stelco haven’t hired in 20 years. It also argues many of the workers who waived training courses did so because they have health concerns or do not feel physically fit to perform jobs available.
The union bulletin said that "As concerns the retired workers who have taken salaried positions and are violating the contract, we remind them that this is not right. There will be no support for retirees who agree to go salary in order to do work which by right belongs to union members. The union fights for all its members and retirees but for retirees to sign employment contracts as if it is a personal matter affecting only themselves and the company, when workers are laid off and new hires are needed at the plant, is foolish."
Mr Trevor Harris spokesperson of US Steel Canada said that "The company fundamentally disagrees with the categorization of the facts by Local 1005 in this matter. We continue to uphold the collective agreement and firmly believe that as a company we provided every possible opportunity for every willing employee to continue working within US Steel Canada. If anything, the union should be looking in the mirror and asking themselves why they failed to provide their members with proper counsel."
Source - The Hamilton Spectator
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