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USW Local 5668-04 Membership Votes To Accept Contract With Century Aluminum Of West Virginia, Inc.

For Immediate Release                                          August 5, 2006

Ravenswood, WV - Members of Local 5668-04 have voted to accept a three-year agreement that was reached between the United Steelworkers (USW) and Century Aluminum of West Virginia Inc. during the final hours on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Both sides had only nine hours between them from what clearly was an impending strike.  The USW secret ballot results were 352 for and 158 against.

While facing a deadline of midnight, the USW and Century Aluminum went to the wire in an attempt to reach something acceptable. Both bargained to achieve a tentative agreement endorsed by the USW and the local union committee.

The union committee and management returned to the bargaining table over the weekend last Sunday, after a 72 – hour strike notice was delivered by the USW on Saturday morning. The membership had rejected the company’s ‘last, best and final offer’ by a vote of 299 to 218.  Unfortunately, talks broke off on Sunday evening with little hope in sight for what appeared to be a looming work stoppage.

Chief union negotiator Tim Dean states, “This ratification by the membership is a significant move supporting an expectation the company will now make further commitments of capital investments in the Ravenswood Plant.  We realize this plant is Century’s highest cost smelter operation, but it doesn’t have to always remain that way.” </