Rexam workers vote Saturday on settlement

The United Steelworkers union announced Wednesday that it had reached a tentative settlement that would end work stoppages that began at nine plants on April 10. Details of the agreement were being withheld pending the ratification vote.

The tentative agreement provides for a Master Agreement that would cover the 900 bargaining unit employees of plants located at Chicago, Ill.; Bishopville, S.C.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; Birmingham, Ala.; St. Paul, Minn.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Chatsworth, Calif.; and Whitehouse, Ohio. The tentative agreement has been unanimously endorsed by the presidents of the nine local unions.

USW International Vice President and Chairman of Container Industry Bargaining Fred Redmond, commented, “Because of the determination of the local union presidents and the solidarity of our members, we have been able to reach a tentative agreement that addresses our members’ concerns and should assist in the long-term viability of Rexam.”

The 90 members of United Steelworkers Local 7796 employed by Rexam Beverage Can in St. Paul joined 800 of their union brothers and sisters nationwide in a strike against the company for unfair labor practices.

During the strike, the St. Paul workers maintained a 24-hour picket line at the Rexam facility, located at 139 Eva St. in the city\’s West Side neighborhood. It is the first time employees at the plant have gone on strike in more than 20 years.

A master agreement between the USW and Rexam that covered employees in St. Paul and seven other cities expired Feb. 24. Initially, as management and representatives of the USW continued to negotiate, Rexam employees agreed to work under a contract extension.

But USW members twice rejected Rexam\’s contract proposals in secret-ballot votes, most recently on April 4. That vote led to the decision to strike April 10.

This article contains information from the United Steelworkers website, www.usw.org and the St. Paul Union Advocate.