RAVENSWOOD - On the third attempt, members of United Steelworkers Local 5668 ratified a new two-year labor agreement covering about 700 employees at Alcan Aluminum in Ravenswood.
The contract was approved 419 to 212 during voting Thursday and Friday at the plant, according to a statement released Saturday by Local 5668.
The agreement preserves the existing medical insurance plan, provides hourly wage increases of 35 cents the first year and an additional 35 cents in the second year and makes improvements in the pension plan. A labor/management committee will be established to oversee workplace improvements while protecting union members from layoffs related to workplace reorganizations.
Two previous contract proposals had been rejected by the membership because of concern for job losses in restructuring the plant. Local 5668 President Jason Miller said the final proposal was ratified when the bargaining committee came back with contract language that offered job security that was not in earlier offers.
"Our membership and the people in this community have experienced a hemorrhaging of jobs resulting from cutbacks in production and unfair trade," Miller said. "The two previous contract rejections were a fight to save what jobs are left.
"The solidarity shown by our membership was phenomenal," Miller said. "Without their support, we would have been less certain to secure our jobs."
The labor agreement is retroactive to June 1 and expires July 15, 2012.
Alcan-Ravenswood also released a statement Saturday saying both parties worked hard to arrive at an agreement balancing the best interests of employees with helping Alcan-Ravenswood improve its operational performance and continuing the progress it has made over the past year in meeting customer requirements for quality, price and on-time delivery.
The new two-year agreement, which covers approximately 700 employees, provides for an increase in hourly wages for each year of the two-year agreement, as well as increased pension benefits. It also preserves one of the few remaining free-to-employee health insurance plans available in U.S. industry today, the release said.
In addition, the issue of contracting out was resolved to both parties' satisfaction, the release said. In instances of work reorganization and contracting out, the company has offered a complete guarantee that there will be no layoffs resulting from either provision.
"We believe that by working together on the continuous improvement of the way we work, the Ravenswood facility will secure its place in the market as a preferred supplier of aluminum products," the release said.
U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., released a statement Saturday on the approved contract.
"I am enormously happy that the company and workers were able to reach an agreement and new contract enabling them to continue their incredibly valuable work," said Rockefeller. "I know that the past few weeks have been difficult for all involved, but everyone can take peace in the news that these hard working men and women will remain on the job. We all know how much the company and these jobs mean to Jackson County - and I'm extremely pleased that the vote was to the benefit the future of the workers and the Ravenswood community," he said.
Gov. Joe Manchin also commented on the Alcan vote.
"I am so pleased to hear that both sides have come together and reached an agreement on a new contract," Manchin said. "All along, my primary concern has been for the employees at Alcan and their families. These highly-skilled, good paying jobs not only provide benefits and keep food on the table, but also support this region's economy. Without this agreement, subsequent results would have had damaging effects on West Virginia and the Jackson County area," he said.
