SHARON Medal Industries workers strike over wages

THE VINDICATOR, YOUNGSTOWN
Workers say they were willing to postpone a raise until September.
SHARON, Pa. -- Teamsters employed at Medal Industries on Vine Avenue are on strike because the company made no offers to increase wages for the second year of their three-year contract, a union official said.
Doug Robbins, president of Teamsters Local 261, said the eight warehouse workers are halfway through their contract.
Provision: They settled for a 10-cent per hour wage increase when the agreement went into effect 18 months ago with the provision that there would be wage reopeners at the start of the second and third years, Robbins said.
When the one-year mark was reached in September, there was a new owner who asked the employees for a six-month extension on the wage reopener issue, Robbins said.
The workers agreed, but the company said in March it had no increase for them, he said. Workers made a variety of proposals, including delaying an increase until next September in exchange that they would get a $1 per hour across-the-board increase, Robbins said.
The company failed to respond to the proposal and the Teamsters walked out with the start of their shift at 9 a.m. Monday, shutting down the supplier of home improvement products, he said.
Wages: The workers are making $10.25 an hour, which puts them "on the lower end of the spectrum," Robbins said.
A call to the company seeking comment wasn't returned.