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Strike Authorization Update
Bargaining with ATI continues, but unfortunately, we have made little progress. All the while ATI continues to spin its propaganda which is self-serving with intentions to weaken our solidarity and our resolve to obtain a fair and equitable contract.
The company has improved its wage offer slightly, but they remain determined to force workers to accept expensive changes to healthcare, as well as other concessions. At the same time, management wants us to forget and ignore that they have predicted continued future profits and that they currently have over $650 million in cash.
Health Care:
Below are the company’s proposed reductions and changes in health care coverage and the demand for employees to pay premiums:
|
Medical |
|
|
Deductible (Individual/Family) |
$500/$1000 |
|
Copays (PCP, SCP, UC, ER) |
$30/$40/$40/$75 |
|
Coinsurance |
90% |
|
Medical OOP Max |
$2,000/$4,000 |
|
Rx |
|
|
Retail |
|
|
Generic |
80%, $15 max |
|
Formulary |
75%, $30 max |
|
Non-Formulary |
55%, $40 max |
|
Mail-Order |
|
|
Generic |
80%, $30 max |
|
Formulary |
75%, $60 max |
|
Non-Formulary |
55%, $80 max |
|
Specialty |
|
|
Generic |
80%, $35 max |
|
Formulary |
75%, $75 max |
|
Non-Formulary |
55%, $100 max |
|
Rx OOP Maximum |
$1,750/$3,500 |
Premiums (Effective January 1, 2024):
|
Coverage Level |
Monthly Employee Premium |
|
Employee Only |
$40.00 |
|
Employee + Spouse |
$90.00 |
|
Employee + Child(ren) |
$80.00 |
|
Family |
$125.00 |
Beginning in 2024, ATI will offer a second medical plan choice to employees hired prior to January 1, 2024. The plan will offer the same design and terms offered to salaried, non-represented employees. They say the option will be premium free.
Then, their proposal goes further employees hired on or after January 1, 2024, will only be offered the salary, non-represented plan. However, the company is not able to tell us what the coverage will be until 2023 and will not guarantee the plan will continue to be premium free.
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.
Wages:
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 has proposed a $3,000 first-year bonus, and then 8½% total in wage increases over the remaining three years of a four year contract.
The union has proposed a $5,000 first year payment and wage increases of 3% - 3½% and 4%.
Other Trips and Traps:
After failing to break our solidarity during the lockout in 2016, the company has now decided during these negotiations to “chip away” at what have earned in the past with obvious attempts to undermine the longstanding protections of our agreement.
The company demands the unilateral right to implement 12-hour shifts in melting operations without the obligation to pay daily overtime.
When we raise issues about quality of work life issues (like when they schedule people five or six days a week for 12 hours), they say “trust us, we do not intend to do that,” but they won’t provide a written guarantee.
Then to add insult to injury, ATI remains fixated on expanding its use of outside contractors to do our jobs, even when USW members are laid off.
Although the company says it doesn't intend to use contractors to erode our bargaining units, their refusal to implement a layoff minimization plan or guarantee members won’t remain on layoff when contractors are performing our work, we simply cannot afford to take this management's word that they will abide by their alleged “intent” or “take our word for it.”
They are already attempting to contract out Production work, and they propose to contract out all Non-Core Work (including janitorial work, grounds keeping, road maintenance, building construction/maintenance), Scrap Handling, Vacuum Truck, Machine Shop, Surge Maintenance and Specialty Maintenance work, even when USW members are laid off.
It is an obvious attempt to eliminate USW jobs and bring in non-union contractors that they can discharge at will, if they so desire.
Shutdown Benefits:
Management won't commit to provide the shutdown pensions to our brothers and sisters that have already earned and are qualified to receive the benefit.
In Waterbury and at #3 Finishing Department in Brackenridge, the company says that even though the members have already qualified and earned the benefits, they will hold them hostage and not grant the shutdown pensions until or unless we ratify the agreement.
Then in Louisville, where the company has announced a shutdown, they will not commit to granting shutdown pensions, because even though they may lay off members, ATI is not sure they will grant the benefits in the event they decide to recall members in the next two years, again holding members hostage.
Local Union Meetings:
Over the next several days, your local union bargaining committees will schedule and hold meetings to discuss our current position and our next steps. Please look for the notices and attend the meetings.
We are committed to continue fighting for the fair contract ATI Steelworkers have earned and deserve. Our solidarity in the coming days must show the company that we are once and for all united against ATI’s underhanded attempts to either force or trick the USW into paying the price for its poor, lazy management.
Until we communicate otherwise, please continue to report for all scheduled shifts and stay focused on working safely.
In solidarity,
Your USW/ATI Negotiating Committee
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