Health care to be big topic for union, Alcoa in talks

MASSENA — The union representing Alcoa plants around the country, including Massena East and West, are gearing up for tough contract negotiations with the aluminum company this spring.

United Steelworkers officials said health care is expected to be a major issue for both parties.

Workers at the Massena plants are covered by a contract that was negotiated and ratified in 2006. The same contract covers unionized workers at 10 other Alcoa plants in the states of Iowa, Indiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, Texas and Washington, and will expire May 31.

In addition to setting wages, pension contributions, benefits, policies and other matters for USW employees, the contract negotiations will include bargaining for retiree health care, USW Local 450 President Richard M. Orton said.

Also up for discussion is the length of the new contract.

The existing contract covered four years, and previous contracts have been stretched out to five years, but USW Local 420 President Christopher W. Baldwin said the unions tend to prefer short contracts.

One of the positions the union may take is to push for a shorter contract length, especially given the uncertainty about how drastic changes in the aluminum market and the worldwide economy since 2008 will affect the industry moving forward.

In spite of challenging economic times, Mr. Baldwin is confident the company and the union are in healthy enough shape to sit down and discuss a contract.

"Alcoa is viable," he said. "They came through the recession better than a lot of companies have. They have survived to the point we can sit down and bargain a decent labor agreement."

Mr. Orton said one of the advantages the USW has walking into negotiations is that nearly every country and many, many sectors of the manufacturing world are up against challenges similar to those facing the U.S. aluminum industry.

Mr. Orton's union represents approximately 270 workers at the idled Massena East plant, while Mr. Baldwin represents about 600 union members at the Massena West plant.

By negotiating through the USW International, steelworkers are able to put all 12 unions representing several thousand workers at the same table to bargain with the corporation.

Several meetings have been held among union officials to discuss potential contract changes and issues workers at each location feel need to be addressed. Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Orton plan to solicit input from their members in the coming weeks about any concerns, positions or ideas for changes workers here may have.

The USW international will send representatives to Cincinnati, Ohio, for an April 27 sit-down with Alcoa leaders. At that time, both parties will unveil their initial proposals for the upcoming contract talks.