ASTRO SHAPES Some workers: We didn't OK strike

The union president said the strike has plenty of support.
THE VINDICATOR
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
STRUTHERS -- Some workers at Astro Shapes are angry they weren't able to vote on a contract offer before their union leaders called a strike.
Tony Sevi, president of United Steelworkers of America Local 9401, said that he's aware some day-shift workers are unhappy but that he thinks the handling of the strike was done properly.
He said workers from evening and midnight shifts went to the union hall Tuesday just before midnight to talk about the company's final offer.
Union leaders didn't like the proposal and when members were asked if they wanted to strike, no one spoke against the action, he said.
"It was unanimous," he said.
He said he knew day-shift workers were at home sleeping but went ahead with the strike because about two-thirds of members were at the meeting and overwhelmingly supported walking off the job.
Several workers who said they did not want to be identified contacted The Vindicator, saying they think the offer should have been fully explained to all members before a strike was proposed. They said they didn't know why the union was striking.
About 320 union members are off the job.
Union argument
Union leaders say the aluminum extruder is profitable enough to offer more than the 40-cent-an-hour annual raises it has proposed in the four-year deal. They also want workers to be able to reach top pay scale of $13.10 an hour more quickly and seek contract language to prevent their jobs from being given to outside suppliers.
Workers said the starting pay rate is $6.85 an hour, but the company's proposal would raise that to $7.50 an hour.
The company also offered to continue paying health care premiums for the workers.
Meanwhile, a 47-year-old Struthers man said his 1999 Jeep Cherokee was vandalized at the company when he dropped off his wife, a secretary at the company, about 8 a.m. Wednesday. When he left, he noticed damage to the vehicle's passenger-side mirror, right rear quarter-panel, and right rear taillight, police reports show.
shilling@vindy.com