Steel Mills

USW Charges ATI Lockout Is Illegal

Written by Sandy Williams


The union, which in its fourth week of lockout at ATI, filed an affidavit with the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday claiming the lockout is illegal.

Tom Conway, USW vice president and chief negotiator for the union, filed the affidavit but would not detail reasons why the lockout is illegal. The charges are currently under investigation at the NLRB.

The Sept. 10 Gipson Report – United Steelworkers Local 6787, reported that the USW filed seven labor complaints against Allegheny Technology. The filings occurred Aug. 25 on behalf of workers at the Vandergrift and Gilpin plants and on Sept. 3 for those workers at the New Bedford, Mass. plant.

The charges include:

* Repudiation/modification of contract (unilateral changes)
* Coercive statements (threats and/or promises of benefits)
* Coercive actions (surveillance, etc.)
* Refusal to bargain/bad faith bargaining
* Changes in terms and conditions of employment.

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