AUGUST 2010, Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton edition of The Union News

USW Union Local 2599 talking with Victaulic about contract

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSABE@AOL.COM

REGION, July 15th- There are negotiations between officials of the Victaulic Company and the United Steelworkers of America (USW) Union Local 2599 attempting to gain a successor contract agreement between the parties.

Victaulic operates a pipe couplings manufacturing facility in Forks Township and the two sides have been without a contract agreement since January 31st, 2010 when the previous pact expired. On February 8th, 2010 the union membership rejected Victaulic’s “final” contract proposal 269 to 0. The two sides agreed to work under the terms and conditions of the previous contract following the vote.

The USW represents approximately 275 workers of Victaulic with around 37 currently laid-off stated Jerry Green, Local 2599 President.

The union has two labor contracts with the Victaulic Company. Local 2599 also represents around 130 employees of the employers Alburtis facility. The Alburtis contract will not expire until September 2013.

The membership rejected the contract because the company’s proposal requested many union concessions including the removal of much of the working condition language. The agreement offered no wage increase, an increase for health care, and lower wages for laid-off employees when recalled. Mr. Green told the newspaper laid-off workers had no reason what-so-ever to vote in favor of the pact.

Mr. Green told the newspaper negotiations have restarted recently and major issues remain between the parties. “One major thing that is off the table is language for two-tier laid-off recall,” stated Mr. Green. He said the company wanted to recall laid-off workers under a lower pay scale that what they had before being laid-off.

The company still wants several pay scales for employees including one scale for new hires, in which those workers would never achieve the wages that older hires are receiving.

Meanwhile, Mr. Green told the newspaper discussions are underway in an attempt to settle the Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) complaint filed by the USW against Northampton County regarding the contract at Gracedale Nursing Home, which is owned and operated by the County.

The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) ruled Northampton County officials have violated the Public Employee Relations Act when the negotiated agreement between the parties was not implemented by the county.

Mr. Green stated the issue may be resolve providing contract negotiations are renewed and his members receive the pay increase provided under the previously reached agreement for 2009 and 2010. The union represents around 50 nurses and social workers at Gracedale. The previous contract expired in December 2008.

“We will need to negotiate all over again,” said Green. “We want to help the county but they need to be fair with us.”

AUGUST 2010, Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton edition of The Union News

Building Trades Unions again involved with youth apprentice program

BY PAUL TUCKER
THEUNIONNEWSABE@AOL.COM

REGION, July 18th- The pre-apprenticeship program in the Lehigh Valley began on July 5th for the second consecutive year.

Last May affiliated local union members of the Building and Construction Trades Council of the Lehigh Valley announced the new program at the Lehigh Valley Career Link in Allentown.

The labor federation along with the United Community Services sponsors the program and is funded by the Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board. Funds are provided through the Pennsylvania allocation from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The program is intended to provide youths from the Lehigh Valley, which must first meet the financial requirements, the ability to study and learn about becoming a construction tradesperson.

The program will provide for the eligible youths both academic preparation and work experiences to enter the building trades apprenticeship programs.

There are 19 local unions affiliated with the Building and Construction Trades Council of the Lehigh Valley which represents workers employed within the construction trade industry. Many of those unions are involved with the program and are asked by Vicki Henshaw, who directs the program, to participate in classroom discussion and informing the youths of what is involve to become a construction tradesperson.

Ms. Henshaw, which has worked in the Lehigh Valley within the social services for many years, told the newspaper last year there were fourteen youths enrolled in the program and this year there is twenty.

“The program was a success in 2009 and much of this years program is the same as last years,” said Ms. Henshaw. None of the youths enrolled in this year were involved in the 2009 program.

Following the summer long program the youths will receive their certification for completing the course during a event in which their parents will be asked to participate.

Apprentice classrooms of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Union Local 375 in Allentown are used for the classroom studies and is headquarted in their building on Liberty Street.

William Dorward, Area Marketing Representative for the Sheet Metal Workers International Union Local 19, which represents employees that install duct work for heating and air conditioning and metal roofs throughout the Lehigh Valley, in a earlier newspaper story the pre-apprenticeship program has been conducted in the Reading area for several years and is very successful.

The youths will get acquainted with the building trades apprenticeship programs, visit job sites, and learn about building trades unions. They will be required to study math, construction safety and building trade work readiness. The requirements for the program will mirror a real union apprenticeship program.