THE I.S.U. UPDATE

As if we didn’t already know, contract talks are looming larger in the not too distant future.
And you can rest assured the Company is well aware of the upcoming negotiations.
We have seen the usual maneuvers during the recent Union elections, often designed to make Union officials cope with problem after problem.
But of late, we are now witnessing the usual preparation for the contract negotiations.
--The Company suddenly cancels it’s own hiring program;
--The Company wants the Union to join in a public campaign to verify the impending death threat from foreign imports.
--The Company finds reason after reason to renege on promises to the Union;
--The Company finds any excuse available to embarrass the Union when possible.
Now that we have said all that, we will hear from Company officials who will vehemently deny any such actions.
But we have seen this happen all too often and have come to expect it.
After all, this is the same Company who brought us D.B.A.

Contract Ideas

Several of our Union stewards have circulated idea sheets for the upcoming contract talks.
If you haven’t seen an idea sheet, just write down your ideas and send them to the Union Hall.
We need to work together for a strong and equitable labor agreement in 2001.

Modest Gains

Domestic steelmakers are expecting modest improvement when second quarter results are posted in the next several days.
According to steel analysts, the domestic steel industry may be showing signs of slowing down. This is due in part to a strong U.S. dollar, which actually helps foreign imports.
Analysts expect Nucor to be the big winner in the second quarter.
Those same analysts predict a stronger steel market by the fourth quarter if interest rates stabilize and imports are more controlled.

Negotiating Team

The Union negotiating team is now in place with several changes.
Representing the Union on the Executive Committee for the next three years will be:

Mark Roach –Sheet Mill Chairman
Harden "Buddy" Camilletti-Strip Steel Chairman
Charles "Butch" Delaney– Strip Steel ViceChairman
Ed "Ike" Eisnaugle – Tin Mill Chairman
Keith Misselwitz – Tin Mill Vice-Chairman
Bob Hoover – Steel Works No. 1 Chairman
Ronnie Dodd – Steel Works No. 1 Vice-Chairman
Mike Vitello-Steel Works No. 2 Chairman
Alan Scheetz-Steel Works No. 2 Vice-Chairman
Larry Swiger-Salary Non-Exempt and Professional Unit –Chairman

The new Executive Committee will meet August 6^th to formally re-organize and make appropriate appointments.
A regular membership meeting is expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks.

Hiring On Hold

After weeks of headlines, fanfare and a highly touted program to hire only experienced people, the Company has quietly put the latest hiring plan on indefinite hold.
Vice-President of Operations, Ed Scram, citing a weakening order book, informed the Union of the halt to the hiring of hourly employees.
After all of the hoopla to hire only experienced personnel and not necessarily sons and daughters, the Company hired 19 permanent laborers.

Safety First
By Delbert Littleton

Kaiser Settlement

The United Steelworkers of America has announced a settlement to the nearly two year strike at Kaiser Aluminum.
Union officials say 74% of the rank and file voted in favor of an innovative agreement that protects retirees’ health insurance and improves safeguards against contracting out jobs.
Meanwhile, the National Labor Relations Board has formally charged Kaiser Aluminum with illegally locking out 2,900 Union members to "pressure and coerce" them into accepting the Company’s "unlawful bargaining proposal."
Kaiser Aluminum is the company that President John Walker recently left in order to return to Weirton Steel.

Brothers and Sisters

Congratulations to Jonathan Bocek of Weirton for his recent surveying of Three Springs Drive Cemetery as part of his Eagle Scout project.
Bocek is the son of William and Teresa Bocek. His father is an assistant roller on No. 7 Tanden Mill. His Aunt Mary Bocek works in the Tin Mill.
Jonathan is a freshman at Shepherd College.
As part of his work, Bocek included a list of all existing headstones with all information on each stone.
He also included a map of the cemetery, broken headstones and all other markers of any kind.
Bocek spends his spare time participating in Civil War and World War I re-enactments.

Brothers Update

Two Blast Furnace Union members who have suffered misfortune in recent months can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Mark Wansack, a 30-year veteran of the Blast Furnace remains in the D.T. Watson Rehabilitation Center in Sewickly, slowly recovering from a 30-foot fall near No. 1 Blast Furnace.
Friends of Mark Wansack recently held a benefit picnic for the popular millwright.
And the son of Randy Cross, a Blast Furnace Electrician, continues to recover from injuries he sustained in a vehicular-pedestrian accident near Hickory, Pennsylvania.
Blast Furnace Electric Shop employees recently organized a gate collection that netted more that $4,000 for the Randy Cross fund.
Both men have expressed their utmost thanks to everyone involved in the collection campaigns.

New Bosses

We have noticed several new supervisors in our mill in recent weeks.
So in a spirit of unity and good fellowship, we offer these tips for breaking in a new boss: