Click here to download this update as a printable PDF.
ATI Propaganda Continues and it Reveals the Company’s Lack of Credibility
On Friday, March 26th, the USW notified ATI that union members would strike against unfair labor practices at 7 a.m., Tuesday, March 30, 2021. The parties had multiple conversations and discussions between Friday and Tuesday morning. As a matter of fact, your Bargaining committee was meeting late Monday night in an effort to avoid a strike.
Now the company’s website complains that ATI is disappointed the USW has not reached out to contact them about negotiations. It’s just not true!
The chief negotiators have had multiple conversations and discussions since the strike began and for the ATI website to say otherwise is more than disingenuous. During those discussions, management’s position has remained unchanged, and as of this morning, management’s last response to the union was they would get back to us.
So if they are disappointed, they should be disappointed in their unfair labor practices and in their inability to reach a fair contract. Again, it says something about management’s tactics and should make everyone, including their managers, their customers and their shareholders question their motives and their integrity.
In addition to the company’s unreasonable and unnecessary contract proposals, we believe ATI has violated federal labor law and engaged in serious unfair labor practices. Management’s conduct has undermined our ability to bargain for the contract we deserve, and their actions are intended to intimidate or coerce us from standing together to fight for a fair contract and to break our solidarity.
In December 2020, before bargaining began, ATI announced shutdowns impacting workers in Louisville and Waterbury and the #3 Finishing Dept at Brackenridge, yet the company still refuses to grant these workers their shutdown benefits and pensions unless, we ratify their contract, thereby holding our members and their families hostage.
Bargaining with ATI began the first week of January. Since then, the company has gradually improved its wage offer slightly, but remains determined to force workers to accept expensive changes to healthcare, as well as other concessions.
USW members know that after going without a wage increase since 2014, we deserve a contract that makes our jobs, earnings and benefits more secure.
The company's healthcare concessions diminish the value of any wage increase or signing bonus. The proposal also allows management the unilateral ability to change health insurance plans or coverage in the future without negotiating with our union and demands future employees participate in such a two-tier health care plan.
The company has yet to commit to fully fund the VEBA that pays the cost of retiree benefits, which is bound to see a large influx of participants from facilities that the company has decided to shut down.
They continue to ignore the needs of our Office and Technical members and continue attempts to erode the size and scope of the bargaining unit.
After failing to break our solidarity during the lockout in 2016, the company has now decided during these negotiations to “chip away” at what we have earned in the past with obvious attempts to undermine the longstanding protections of our agreement.
Moreover, the company continues their arrogant and less than honest proposals and story-telling!
Our picket lines are strong and well supported, our resolve for a fair and equitable contract continues and grows stronger every day.
Obviously, the company will continue with their propaganda and shameful tactics, we will not allow their less than honorable game-playing weaken our resolve.
In unity,
Your USW/ATI Negotiating Committee
Sign up to receive USW/ATI text updates - send the message ATI to the phone number 47486.