Members of USW Local 235A, along with allies from other industrial unions from around the world, traveled to Switzerland this week to deliver a message to shareholders of Glencore, Sherwin’s corporate owners: “End the lockout now!”
The USW members spoke at the annual shareholders’ meeting of the commodities giant that owns the Sherwin plant where 450 of our hard-working brothers and sisters have been locked out since Oct. 11.
“Over the past seven months, we have repeatedly offered to return to work while we continue to bargain a new contract that is fair to both sides,” said Local 235A Vice President Rey Hererra. “The company has refused these offers and continues to keep us out of work.”
The members told shareholders that the lockout has had a negative effect on Glencore’s production and profitability.
“The company says the pay and benefit cuts it demands are necessary for Sherwin to remain competitive.
“This makes no sense when you look at the bottom line,” Hererra said. “Before the lockout, Sherwin was a profitable company. Productivity was on the rise, labor costs were down. Since the lockout, production and productivity have fallen substantially.”
“This loss of production has cost the company about $40 million in revenue,” Hererra said. “There is an easy solution: Glencore must end the lockout at Sherwin Alumina.”
Local 235A members were joined by union members and fellow Glencore workers from South Africa, Australia and Columbia, holding solidarity events and meeting with political leaders and human rights activists.
In addition to the Sherwin lockout, Glencore has been accused of anti-union campaigns against mine workers in South Africa and Columbia, subjecting workers at Peru’s Antamina mine to regular health and safety violations, and refusing to re-hire union workers in Australia.