Fitton Center studio named
Sneak peek at 'Runway' finale
'Suor Angelica' rehearsal
Blogs & Message Boards More...
- High School Huddle: Winton Woods powers past Trotwood in regional final
- Springfield Outdoors: Lange's land potential state record blue catfish
- The Real McCoy: Ramon Hernandez: a good signing
- Arts and Entertainment: OAC leader gets national post
- Taste: Dayton food and restaurants: DLM is international finalist for 'Best Gourmet...
Machinists lend hand in talks
Union sets aside $500,000 to help ‘members in distress.’
By Ed Richter
Staff Writer
For the first time in 63 years, the union negotiating Thursday with AK Steel Corp. was augmented by an international union, which on Thursday announced it would offer financial help to its members.
Negotiators for AK Steel and the Armco Employees Independent Federation/International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 1943 met for about two hours Thursday morning in the first bargaining session since the independent union last month affiliated with the Machinists.
It was the first bargaining session since July 21.
As promised, AEIF/IAM negotiators gave its AK Steel counterparts a comprehensive counterproposal.
Alan McCoy, AK’s vice president of public and governmental relations, said the company will carefully review the union’s counterproposal, and said the steelmaker “remains optimistic.”
McCoy said both sides plan to meet again at 9 a.m. today.
Jim Tyler, AEIF/IAM spokesman, said he thought Thursday’s meeting “was positive.”
“I thought it went real well,” Tyler said. “We’ll see as it goes along. Our main goal is to get a fair and equitable contract for our membership. I believe we are moving forward.”
About 700 members attended the AEIF/IAM Local 1943’s closed membership meeting late Thursday afternoon at the Disabled American Veterans Hall on Trenton-Franklin Road, according to Tyler.
The local voted to set aside $500,000 from its $4 million treasury to help members “who are really in distress,” he said.
A separate company is taking applications starting today to help members having trouble paying medical bills or making mortgage payments. The lockout of hourly workers from Middletown Works is in its sixth month.
Tyler also said the union will be holding information meetings at 2 p.m. every Friday, starting today, at the union hall, 1100 Crawford St.
About 2,700 members of the then-AEIF were locked out of the AK Steel plant at midnight March 1. Since then, more than 500 union members have retired or sought other employment. The number of hourly workers stands at 2,134, AK Steel officials said Monday.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or erichter@coxohio.com.
