WHEATLAND TUBE Negotiators report progress in union, company talks

The company has been able to meet customer demands despite the strike.
WHEATLAND, Pa. -- Negotiators for Wheatland Tube Co. and striking Local 1660 of the United Steelworkers of America said there was some movement in contract talks Monday.
"We gave a little and they gave a little on health care," said Dom Vadala, president of Local 1660, which represents about 470 production workers at the company's Wheatland plant.
The two sides will meet again at 10 a.m. June 24 under the direction of federal mediator Pat Mingarelli.
Meanwhile, a slow pipe and tube market has enabled Wheatland Tube to meet its customer demands with products from its other plants, said Bill Kerins, company vice president of operations.
Local 1660 went on strike April 28 with the expiration of its old contract.
Health care discussed
Kerins said Tuesday's session lasted only about an hour and only health care was discussed.
The company still wants employees to pick up a share of their health care insurance premiums but has moved off its original proposal of a 10-percent employee co-payment in the first year, 20 percent in the second and 30 percent in the third.
Kerins said the offer Tuesday was that employees wouldn't pick up any health care premium cost in the first year but would pay 10 percent in the second and 15 percent in the third.
The company was also willing to set a cap on the amount, he said.
The union countered with an offer of a $5 per week contribution beginning in the second year of the contract, he said.
The union indicated it will come back with a package proposal on all open issues at the next meeting, Kerins said.