After demonstrating outside the company's shareholders meeting and speaking at the gathering, a delegation of New Prague, Minn., Steelworkers met with Chart Industries executives and secured a commitment to move forward in contract negotiations, the union said.
Members of United Steelworkers of America Local 9454 drove through the night to attend Chart's annual meeting at the Forum Conference Center in Cleveland, the company's headquarters. They were joined by USWA District 1 Director David McCall and more than 70 area Steelworkers and union retirees for a rally. After passing out fliers with their message and sharing their story with supporters, the Minnesota delegation attended the shareholders meeting.
"The union members had the opportunity to explain the issues of the membership back home and pose questions to the CEO, Board of Directors and the Chairman," union representative Tara Widner. Afterwards, CEO Arthur Holmes met with the group "to further discuss the union's main bargaining issues and how to improve labor-management relations at the New Prague and Lonsdale facilities. The meeting ended with a commitment to move forward," Widner reported.
Employees at the Chart facilities in New Prague and Lonsdale have been working without a contract since Jan. 16. Union members held a vote on the employer's March 23 proposal, rejecting it by a margin of 115 to 1.
Local 9454 President Rick Kadrlik said the Minnesotans drove almost 800 miles "to let upper management and the shareholders know what is going on in Minnesota and to gain a better understanding of the company financially."
Added Kadrlik, "We want the company to be profitable. We believe profitability is possible because we produce the finest product on the market. We want the company and shareholders to know that we are flexible but firmly committed to our issues."
Chart is the world's leading manufacturer of cyrogenic products, such as storage tanks for biomedical, industrial and commercial uses.
The major unresolved issues in contract negotiations are retirement security, union security and economic security, Kadrlik said. "At the negotiating table we are trying to meet the most basic needs of our most valuable and vulnerable population, our retirees," he said. "We have not received a pension increase in over two years. Under the current plan a 30-year employee would have a difficult time meeting his or her medical needs on $675 a month, let alone food, housing and transportation."
Related article
New Prague workers to protest at Cleveland shareholders meeting
For more information
On the USWA: www.uswa.org
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On Chart Industries: www.chart-ind.com
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After demonstrating outside the company’s shareholders meeting and speaking at the gathering, a delegation of New Prague, Minn., Steelworkers met with Chart Industries executives and secured a commitment to move forward in contract negotiations, the union said.
Members of United Steelworkers of America Local 9454 drove through the night to attend Chart’s annual meeting at the Forum Conference Center in Cleveland, the company’s headquarters. They were joined by USWA District 1 Director David McCall and more than 70 area Steelworkers and union retirees for a rally. After passing out fliers with their message and sharing their story with supporters, the Minnesota delegation attended the shareholders meeting.
“The union members had the opportunity to explain the issues of the membership back home and pose questions to the CEO, Board of Directors and the Chairman,” union representative Tara Widner. Afterwards, CEO Arthur Holmes met with the group “to further discuss the union’s main bargaining issues and how to improve labor-management relations at the New Prague and Lonsdale facilities. The meeting ended with a commitment to move forward,” Widner reported.
Employees at the Chart facilities in New Prague and Lonsdale have been working without a contract since Jan. 16. Union members held a vote on the employer’s March 23 proposal, rejecting it by a margin of 115 to 1.
Local 9454 President Rick Kadrlik said the Minnesotans drove almost 800 miles “to let upper management and the shareholders know what is going on in Minnesota and to gain a better understanding of the company financially.”
Added Kadrlik, “We want the company to be profitable. We believe profitability is possible because we produce the finest product on the market. We want the company and shareholders to know that we are flexible but firmly committed to our issues.”
Chart is the world’s leading manufacturer of cyrogenic products, such as storage tanks for biomedical, industrial and commercial uses.
The major unresolved issues in contract negotiations are retirement security, union security and economic security, Kadrlik said. “At the negotiating table we are trying to meet the most basic needs of our most valuable and vulnerable population, our retirees,” he said. “We have not received a pension increase in over two years. Under the current plan a 30-year employee would have a difficult time meeting his or her medical needs on $675 a month, let alone food, housing and transportation.”
Related article
New Prague workers to protest at Cleveland shareholders meeting
For more information
On the USWA: www.uswa.org
online pharmacy buy super-kamagra no prescription
On Chart Industries: www.chart-ind.com
online pharmacy buy robaxin no prescription online pharmacy
online pharmacy arava online with best prices today in the USA