USW Members at Veyance Technologies to Vote to Authorize Strike; Bargaining Continues

For more information, contact:
  Emil Ramirez, USW (816) 836-1400
  Gary Schaefer, Lincoln, Nebraska, (402) 429-4310
  Randy Young, Marysville, Ohio, (937) 935-2829
  Kevin Nagel, St. Mary’s, Ohio, (419) 305-3416
  Tom Angell, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, (608) 228-8028

PITTSBURGH – More than 1,000 members of the United Steelworkers (USW) at four locations across the US will vote to authorize a strike against auto parts and rubber engineered products manufacturer Veyance Technologies later this week.  Union representatives from Lincoln, Neb.; Marysville and St. Mary’s, Ohio; and Sun Prairie, Wisc. have been in talks with Veyance Technologies, a spin-off of Goodyear’s engineered products division, for several weeks.  

Workers are concerned that the company’s demands for workplace flexibility will shift costs onto employees and undermine seniority protections, allowing favoritism to run rampant in the facilities.  “We’re always willing to talk about ways to improve productivity in our facilities,” said Emil Ramirez, USW bargaining coordinator. ”But we need to make sure that we maintain fair work rules and a decent quality of life for our members.”  

Results of the strike authorization vote will be released on Friday, July 27.  The vote will give the USW bargaining committee authorization to call a strike any time after the contract expires on July 31, if necessary.

Union officials emphasize that they are committed to bargaining in good faith and are hopeful that a work stoppage can be avoided.  “We are working hard at the bargaining table to find solutions that address the company’s business needs without undermining our members’ quality of life,” said Tom Conway, USW International Vice President.  

USW representatives plan to remain at the bargaining table with the company on a daily basis through contract expiration to continue to exchange information and proposals.  

The USW represents about 850,000 working men and women in the United States and Canada in a wide variety of industries, ranging from glass making to mining, paper, steel, tire and rubber and other manufacturing environments, to the public sector, service and health care industries.

# # #