|
|
United Steelworkers Local 890L 500 E. Wilson St. Bryan, Oh. 43506
|
|
|
|
"The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict." Martin Luther King, Jr.
|
Negotiations
July 28, 2006 UNION ANNOUNCES TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH TITAN Bryan, Ohio - The United Steelworkers Local Union #890L announced at 7:45 p.m. this evening that it had reached a tentative agreement with Titan Tire. Titan Tire intends to purchase Continental Tire’s Bryan, Ohio facility. The parties have been in negotiations for several weeks working toward what will be a new 4-year collective bargaining agreement.The Union announced yesterday that it would hold an information meeting and vote on Saturday, July 29th at 9 a.m. at the Lincoln Elementary School on East Butler St. In Bryan. Local Union members will have the opportunity to vote after the informational meeting or wait unit Sunday morning and vote between the hours of 9 a.m. and 12 noon at the Union Hall located at 108 E. Butler St. in Bryan. ______________________________
July 14, 2006 Union/CTNA to Meet in Effects Bargaining After meeting again July 12th and 13th in negotiations with Titan Tire, the parties are very close to having open pension issues resolved. When the draft of the proposed language is finished, the Local and International Union will review it for a possible tentative agreement. As negotiations with Titan moving ever closer to a conclusion, USW Local #890L now will enter into effects bargaining with Continental Tire. The Union and Continental are scheduled to meet on Thursday, July 20th in Cincinnati in an effort to "settle up" on remaining open issues between them. Once effects bargaining is completed and a review of all the documents is conducted, the Union will announce a date to bring the entire package back to the membership for ratification. ___________________________________________ July 8, 2006 Bargaining Committee describes Negotiations As many of you know, successorship negotiations can be more complicated than normal contract negotiations. We are definitely learning this to be true, as we have encountered a variety of issues. We have pretty much finished the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, medical and insurance benefits, S.U.B., and vision care plan. The dental plan will take sometime to set up as we are trying to enhance our current plan with a different administrator. The most complicated issue for us has been the subject of retirement pensions. We have been consistently told that the pensions would work something like this: Continental would reduce the price of the sale of the plant to Titan by an amount equal to the value of the current pensions plan assets. Titan would establish and fund a new pension plan to be administered by the Steelworkers Pensions Trust (SPT) (which by the way is not run by the Steelworkers). In addition, Titan would create a new pension plan with the SPT for all service going forward from the date of sale. On Friday June 30th we were informed that the Steelworkers Pension Trust would not accept the pension liability from a previous employer. This is one of the unexpected problems we are currently faced with. Although there are other options available, it will take sometime to find and evaluate the correct one for us. Another outstanding issue is "effects bargaining" with Continental. This must be completed prior to the sale being finalized. Continental has been as slow as usual to provide information to us necessary for this process to be completed. This has slowed the process down even more. We ask for your patience as we try and work through these issues. We are working as quickly as the circumstances will allow us to work. We will keep you updated as things progress. Your Bargaining Committee
_______________________________
June 28, 2006 Steelworkers/Titan Getting Closer
Bryan, Ohio - The United Steelworkers Local #890L and Titan Tire continue to draw closer to a tentative agreement over a successorship collective bargaining agreement for the Bryan, Ohio facility. Local #890L and Titan met again June 27th and 28th with the parties forging ever closer to a definitive agreement. While finishing the main body of the CBA, the parties focused on benefits language which included medical, dental, prescription drug, employee assistance program, flexible compensation program, 401(k), vision, and sickness and accident benefits. The only unresolved subject at this time is the issues related to the Steelworkers Pension Trust (SPT). Both the Local Union and Titan await resolution of all outstanding pension issues and acceptance of certain Continental pension plan liabilities by the SPT. Once that and the following "effects" issues are resolved and the language is proof read, the Local Union will be ready to present the proposal to the membership for ratification. In addition, the union is still awaiting resolution of the effects issues with CTNA. The Union has offered a draft proposal for resolution of most issues and has forwarded a request for information that is essential for its ability to resolve pending grievances. Continental Tire has not yet responded to the Union’s information request or its resolution proposal. The resolution of those issues is critical to the Union’s submission of the proposed sale for approval. No specific date has been targeted for finalization of negotiations and/or a Union ratification vote. ______________________________
June 15, 2006 Union/Titan Continue Negotiations
USW Local #890L and Titan Tire continued negotiations in an effort to reach a collective bargaining agreement which must be accomplished in order for Titan Tire, International to close the deal in its planned acquisition to buy Continental Tire, North America Inc.’s OTR plant in Bryan, Ohio. "Everything is moving along", said John Bowling, Unit Chair for the Union. "We have nearly completed the main body of the CBA and are close to finishing many other items such as active health care, dental and vision benefits. We still have some important questions pertaining to pensions and retiree health care, though, that need to be answered along with a detailed review of the language". The Union also awaits an opportunity to finish its effects bargaining with CTNA.
_______________________________________
March 8, 2006 Another Pensler Meeting
On Tuesday, March 7th, USW Local #890L again met with Sandy Pensler of Pensler Capital in negotiations concerning the sale of Continental’s Bryan facility. Pensler moved on some minor issues, but once again, the parties were miles apart on the many major issues. The Union is under the understanding that Pensler’s LOI has now run out.
____________________________________
February 28, 2006 Pensler talks end; no agreement Bryan, Ohio - Negotiations between USW Local 890L and Sandy Pensler of Pensler Capital have ended without an agreement. In mid - January, Mr. Pensler obtained a "Letter of Intent" to buy Continental Tire's Bryan, Ohio facility. Since that time, the Union and Pensler have been negotiating trying to reach and agreement in order that the sale might be consummated. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement between USW Local 890L and Continental Tire, NA contains a successorship clause that says an agreement must be reached between a prospective buyer and the Union in order for the sale to be complete. That process ended today without a deal. The Union's negotiating committee made a very comprehensive proposal to Mr. Pensler in consideration of the short -term "Letter of Intent" Pensler had with Continental Tire. In the end, the parties were at opposite ends of the spectrum.___________________________________ February 12, 2006 Pensler Meeting a Short One Bryan, Ohio - On Thursday, February 9th, unit representatives from USW Local 890L along with USW International Representatives met with Sandy Pensler of Pensler Capital in its first bargaining session since the announcement that Mr. Pensler signed a Letter of Intent to purchase the Bryan OTR plant from Continental. The meeting was a short one. Mr. Pensler started the meeting off indicating how upset he has been in recent weeks that Continental is refusing to give him the information he needs for his due diligence. As the Union started its way through the Union’s comprehensive proposal highlights, Pensler got rather agitated acting surprised that the Union had not designed its proposals around the "framework" he had envisioned. Pensler interrupted the Union’s presentation saying that it was obvious that the Union was sending a message. He further stated that in the last 10 years, the Bryan plant had lost money all but 2 years. The Union responded that they had been told much differently and that in fact, the plant manager had openly viewed the Titan - Freeport agreement as a pattern and "why wouldn’t we" (the Bryan facility) follow the pattern. After the session broke for a few hours so Mr. Pensler could consult with Continental officials, talks resumed with the Union stating that its proposals were designed around what was the industry standard. Mr. Pensler left again with no future meeting dates set. ______________________________________ January 27, 2006 USW Local #890L Meets With Pensler The Negotiating Committee from Local 890L along with USW International Representatives met with Sandy Pensler of Pensler Capital in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, January 25, 2006. The meeting was held at the USW District 1 Office and was set up to be primarily a meeting to get to know the new potential buyer. After introductions, Mr. Pensler outlined the structure of Pensler Capital and gave the Union personal bio of himself. Mr. Pensler then said he wanted to give the Union what he called a Summary Proposal for modification of the Bryan contract. This document was not an offer or a complete list, but offered a starting point for future negotiations. The Committee is working hard putting together its proposals. With the starting point that Pensler has initiated, we have a very long way to go and a very short period of time within which to work. ____________________________
____________________________
BRYAN PLANT SALE UPDATE September 24, 2005
USW Local #890L Negotiating Committee
|
