Steelworkers petition for help

[Omaha Steve]

http://nwitimes.com/articles/2008/02/01/business/business/docfd95bc6543bc87b6862573e200054a76.txt

BY ANDREA HOLECEK
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219.933.3316 | Friday, February 01, 2008 | 2 comment(s)

EAST CHICAGO | USW Local 1010 retirees have gathered more than 5,500 signatures on petitions asking the union to fight any attempt by ArcelorMittal to increase their share of future health care cost hikes.

United Steelworkers Local 1010 is one of the more than a dozen USW locals in the country that soon will begin negotiations on a new labor agreement with the company. The current labor agreement expires at the end of August, and USW local presidents and other officials met in Pittsburgh last month to set the groundwork for the yet-unscheduled bargaining sessions.

Local 1010's current health care plan requires the company to pay a portion of increases in retiree health care costs, but retirees are concerned that will change in the next labor agreement.

"The company told the (union local) presidents that it wants retirees to pay 100 percent of future increases," said Don Lutes, a retiree and former Local 1010 official from Griffith who is helping spearhead the petition drive. "We support the union. We want them to support us."

Tom Hargrove, president of Local 1010, said the petitions are unnecessary because the union has always supported its retirees. Health care, keeping pensions and protecting retirees are among the issues included in any bargaining agenda, he said.

"I am going to do everything possible to protect and support the retirees," Hargrove said Thursday.

FULL story at link.