RAVENSWOOD —
Hundreds of striking Constellium aluminum plant workers voted in favor of a new, five-year contract Wednesday, ending a nearly seven-week strike.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and Sens. Joe Manchin and Jay Rockefeller announced the deal late Wednesday. Workers with the United Steelworkers Local 5668 voted by secret ballot over 12 hours Wednesday.
Union officials did not provide vote totals.
“We hope the company is ready to go back to work to make the highest quality of aerospace aluminum made in the world and to get back to satisfying our customers,” union official Randy Moore told The Charleston Gazette. “There are people who are disappointed with the vote on both sides, but the majority has spoken and we have to get back to business as usual.
“There are dissatisfied members on both sides but it is what it is and the majority of the membership made the decision,” he said.
Local 5668 represents about 700 of 1,000 employees at the Jackson County plant.
Constellium’s Laura Prisc said the company would release a statement on Thursday.
Seven hundred members of United Steelworkers Local 5668 went on strike Aug. 5 after contract talks broke down. Constellium made a new offer last week, two days after both sides met with Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin in Charleston.
Constellium’s offer was scheduled to expire at midnight Saturday but the company extended it through Wednesday.
Proposed changes to health insurance are an issue. Constellium now pays 100 percent of workers’ insurance premiums. The contract offer would require workers to pay 5 percent of their health care costs
The latest offer also includes a $7,500 signing bonus, $500 more than an earlier offer, as well as a 2.5 percent wage increase for each year of the contract. Workers currently make about $19 an hour, which the union says is less than peers at similar U.S. plants.
Elected officials heralded the vote. Tomblin called the deal “extremely important to Jackson County’s economy,” while others applauded the work that went into reaching the deal.
“Today’s agreement means that we can keep good-paying jobs and make the company successful — which will help create more even good jobs down the road,” Manchin said. “This is truly a great day for Ravenswood, Jackson County and all of West Virginia.”
West Virginia
Striking Constellium workers approve contract
- West Virginia
-
-
Tax, fee hikes proposed to fund state roads
A commission studying West Virginia’s highway system is proposing tax and fee increases to raise millions of dollars for maintenance and repairs.
-
Rockefeller sponsors new head-injury legislation
A senator who’s long pushed parents, coaches and communities to help protect young athletes from sports-related concussions is now sponsoring federal legislation to set safety standards for helmets.
-
Former hospital executive, nurse to become state DHHR secretary
Former hospital executive and nurse Karen Bowling will become West Virginia’s Health and Human Resources secretary on July 1, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said Wednesday, taking over a sprawling department recently scrutinized by an audit and assigned the daunting task of expanding the state’s Medicaid program.
-
Protesters rally at FirstEnergy annual meeting
At least 200 union workers picketed FirstEnergy’s annual shareholder meeting in West Virginia on Tuesday, demanding the Ohio-based utility hire enough people to keep the power on without forcing an ever-shrinking labor force to work as many as 1,800 hours of overtime a year.
-
Waiver eliminates ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach
West Virginia won limited freedom Monday from the federal education law known as No Child Left Behind, gaining approval of its own method for identifying struggling schools and then devoting resources to improve them.
-
W.Va. gets reprieve from No Child Left Behind law
West Virginia has won some limited freedom from the federal education law known as No Child Left Behind.
-
Big decision looms for W.Va. House
West Virginia’s House of Delegates faces a momentous decision after Speaker Rick Thompson departs for Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s Cabinet: Choosing a new leader will help set the stage for 2014, when Republicans aim to wipe out the Democrats’ ebbing majority.
-
Coin commemorates W.Va.’s 150th birthday
West Virginia is adding a commemorative coin to the celebratory mix for its 150th birthday, the commission overseeing the sesquicentennial activities announced Saturday.
-
Record trout caught in Berkeley County
The Division of Natural Resources says a record rainbow trout was caught in Berkeley County.
DNR director Frank Jezioro says the trout was caught by Tony Corbin of Gerrardstown on May 2 from a private pond. -
West Virginia House speaker to step down, take Cabinet position
House Speaker Richard Thompson will resign from the West Virginia Legislature next month to join Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s Cabinet as secretary of Veterans Assistance, the governor announced Thursday.
- More West Virginia Headlines
-
Tax, fee hikes proposed to fund state roads
