PENNSYLVANIA Wheatland Tube, union to resume negotiations

Workers must share in the health premium, a company spokesman insists.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
WHEATLAND, Pa. -- Negotiations are scheduled to resume this afternoon between Wheatland Tube Co. and the union representing its 470 striking workers at an undisclosed location away from the plant site, a company spokeswoman said. Federal Mediator Patrick Mingarelli called both sides together for talks to begin at 1:30 p.m., she said.
These are the first scheduled talks between the company and United Steelworkers of America Local 1660 since the union members struck the company's headquarters plant here upon the expiration of their contract at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
The company has idled the headquarters plant, which manufactures pipe, and said it intends to serve its customers through its other plants.
Major unresolved issues are health care and pensions. The union has objected to a company proposal that workers begin contributing toward their health care premiums. The company is also seeking to replace its pension plan with a 401K plan and abolish retiree health benefits for future employees.
As it re-enters negotiations today, the company hasn't changed its position on those issues, Bill Kerins, vice president of operations, said this morning.
Health-care contributions
"We have to have some employee share on the [health] insurance premium. That's where we have to be, particularly on the contribution to the health care," Kerins said. "The first step toward any movement is the union has to say they're willing to share in the employee health premium," he added.
The changes in health care and retirement benefits proposed by the company are designed to "create a stable plan that can ensure going forward that we're going to meet all of the obligations we have," Kerins said.
Union officials could not be reached to comment this morning.
The company is a privately held family business, Kerins said.
"We don't say whether we're profitable or whether we've had losing years or quarters. We've never discussed that," he said. "I will say that we're a financially sound company. The owners have been prudent stewards of the company, making sure that we have always fully funded our pension plans and met all of our obligations, and have continued, year in and year out, to make major capital investments in this facility and other facilities to ensure we can be competitive.
"I'm always optimistic. Eventually we're going to get a contract. We've got a good productive work force out there, and we're working toward getting an agreement."