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HANNIBAL — Dozens of Continental Cement Co. employees gathered along Mo. 79 for a solidarity event on Monday evening, as a “batlight” shone on the plant with the message: “Continental Cement, Fair Contract Now, United Steel Workers”.
Ron Wilkey, sub-director for District 11 United Steelworkers, explained the event showed that members of the USW Local 11-205 supported the Union Bargaining Committee’s decision to reject a contract proposal from Continental Cement. He said contract negotiation meetings began March 17, and the original contract expired May 1. About 120 employees represented by the Union have been working without a contract since October, when the last of several contract extensions expired.
With the solidarity event, USW sought to highlight that the call for a different contract proposal was not coming solely from the negotiating committee. Employees held up signs along the highway, and motorists drove by honking their horns to demonstrate their support of the gathering.
“We wanted to show the company that it’s not just the negotiating committee telling them no at the table on these issues, it’s our membership telling us no — that they won’t accept the contract with those unacceptable proposals in there, without it being worked out with all the details,” Wilkey said.
Representatives from Continental Cement emphasized that they are striving to reach a negotiation with their employees’ best interests in mind.
“Continental Cement Company values our employees, and we remain committed to negotiating in good faith and look forward to completing negotiations with United Steelworkers Local 11-205 Union) on a new, mutually agreeable three-year contract,” Continental Cement representatives stated in a release.
Wilkey reported that Continental Cement Company brought in a third-party mediator for the negotiation process, which USW did not oppose. However, he said negotiations have not moved forward, and there were certain provisions USW members were not prepared to accept without receiving more information.
“Things were moving really slow,” he said. The company has got some things on the table that our members are really against — giving our voice up basically on overtime, wanting to put individuals on call 24/7; that they have to come in — if they don’t come in, they’re disciplined.”
Wilkey said a one-hour notice for coming to work was proposed, but some employees live more than an hour away in Illinois or are in areas with poor wireless reception.
“With cellphones, we need to know things like what’s the discipline if my cellphone doesn’t work. They’re just not willing to give us any indication. They just say we’re going to play it by a case-by-case basis,” he said.
The Union Bargaining Committee wants to know more details about potential results if a cellphone doesn’t work or if an employee is sick.
Cross-training proposals are another issue stalling negotiations. USW members are concerned about workers’ safety in some instances. Some employees might not qualify for certain cross-training — such as performing laborer and welding tasks — and Wilkey said it wasn’t clear if the employee would lose their job if they didn’t perform both roles.
Continental Cement explained that the new proposals are tied to substantial wage increases for all jobs at its facility.
“Our current wages are among the highest of other manufacturing facilities in Hannibal, and we have proposed the largest classified wage increase at the Hannibal plant in years. Over the next three years, employees will be able to earn about an additional $10,000-$20,000 or more — just in straight-time earnings (excluding shift differential and overtime pay) — as a result of our proposed pay increases.
“At the end of three years, the lowest rated job will be able to earn as much as $71,000 per year, and our top-rated job will be able to earn nearly $90,000 per year, just in straight-time earnings, prior to overtime and shift differential,” the company said.
Continental Cement said it has experienced difficulty arranging further negotiations recently.
“In exchange for this unprecedented investment in our employees and to strengthen our competitive positioning, the company has requested added flexibility. In mid-September, the Union expressed its willingness to accept our proposals in principle, and the parties are seeking to complete negotiations with the assistance of a federal mediator. However, the Union has been available to meet only two days in the past 12 weeks and has cancelled three other meeting dates. We remain available to meet with the Union and the federal mediator and look forward to completing negotiations.”
Wilkey said the disputed issues have kept economic details from being discussed so far. With the holiday season approaching, USW plans to schedule future meetings with Continental Cement officials after the start of the new year.
“We’re anxious to sit back down to the table, and hopefully the company will take this message seriously,” he said.
“They want you to cross-train and be a laborer and a welder. Well, some people just can’t weld. What’s going to happen? Are you going to kick them out the door because you put them in a job now that they can’t qualify for. That’s not fair either,” Wilkey said.
Wilkey said USW would not approve the current proposal if those type of scenarios were handled on a case-by-case basis as is currently proposed. He explained members need to know what would happen if they were unable to perform a certain job.
As the negotiation process moves ahead, Continental Cement emphasized continued stability in their operations.
“We remain committed and well positioned to supplying our customer needs as the negotiations progress,” the release stated.
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