NEW CASTLE Rundle warns workers

Union officials were unsure if workers would return to work next week.
THE VINDICATOR, YOUNGSTOWN
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Striking Universal-Rundle workers must decide this weekend if they want to go back to work or risk losing their jobs to replacement workers.
Employees received letters in Friday's mail instructing them to return to work Monday. The company will start hiring replacement workers Tuesday, the letter states.
Steve Golimowski, company spokesman, said replacement workers hired after Tuesday will become permanent employees, even if the union matter is eventually resolved.
"If you are going to try to hire people who really want a job, it has to be a permanent job," he said.
About 100 workers in New Castle walked off the job at midnight Oct. 15 over wages and benefits. Workers at a plant in Iowa are also on strike. Others in Georgia returned to work earlier this week without a contract.
Joe Bish, representative for Glass Molders, Pottery, Plastics & amp; Allied Workers International Union, said union workers were checking into their legal rights and was unsure if they would continue to strike or go back to work.
Benefits
The company letter informed workers that if they returned to work on or before Monday they would retain all health benefits and seniority. Those who come back to work after that time will be treated as any new hire with no seniority. The letter added that there will be no guarantee of a job after Tuesday for the striking workers.
Bish said the union tried to contact the company earlier this week with the help of New Castle Mayor Timothy Fulkerson, but received no response.
"We made an offer to go back to work under the old contract and negotiate a new one, but we couldn't get a response," Bish said.
It was unclear Friday if the Iowa workers also were being asked to go back to work or risk being replaced.
cioffi@vindy.com