Contact: R.J. Hufnagel, 412-562-2450, rhufnagel@usw.org
PITTSBURGH (February 12) – Upholding unfair labor practice charges filed by the United Steelworkers (USW) International Union, Region 6 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) late yesterday afternoon issued a 31-page complaint against Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) and four of its wholly owned subsidiaries.
The complaint alleges that on August 15, 2015, ATI unlawfully locked out USW members at eight plants in Western Pennsylvania as well as at plants in Albany, Ore.; Lockport, N.Y.; Louisville, Ohio; New Bedford, Mass.; and Waterbury, Conn.
The complaint also alleged that ATI bargained in bad faith since negotiations began in April 2015 by committing more than 20 different violations of the duty to bargain in good faith. The complaint further pleaded that ATI supervisors threatened employees with reprisals, including discharge, if they went on strike, and unlawfully interrogated employees.
“We are pleased to see that this complaint validates every significant charge the USW has made against ATI from the beginning,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “The company has, since day one, engaged in a pattern of intimidation, manipulation and bad-faith bargaining in a blatant attempt to force hard-working people into accepting deep cuts in pay and benefits.”
A hearing on the complaint before an NLRB administrative law judge is scheduled to begin on May 23 at the Region 6 Office in Pittsburgh.
“We remain, as we have been throughout the bargaining process, ready and willing to negotiate an agreement that is fair to the company and its work force,” said USW International Vice President Tom Conway, who leads the union’s bargaining with ATI. “We look forward to reaching a settlement that will bring an end to the misery that this company has brought on our hard-working members at ATI.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors, including 2,200 members at 12 ATI locations. For more information: www.usw.org and www.usw.org/act/campaigns/ati-bargaining.
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