News From USW: Over 15 months after voting for union representation with the United Steelworkers (USW), workers from the Ohio Valley Aluminum Co. (OVACO) and supporters are kicking off an informational campaign at the parent company’s other facilities around the country to tell about management’s foot-dragging in first contract negotiations and disrespect of workers’ rights.
Union workers initiated an aggressive public information campaign December 12 at Metal Sales Manufacturing (MSM) plants in over a half-dozen states. Both MSM and OVACO are owned by the Mackin family of Louisville under the umbrella of their privately-held Interlock Industries.
“The Steelworkers is going nationwide in its campaign for a fair first contract for OVACO workers,” said USW Local 1693 President Kevin Baird. “All of Interlock’s employees need to know about OVACO’s abuse of workers in Shelbyville, and about the Steelworkers’ commitment to win a fair first contract.”
USW members and workers’ rights organization Jobs with Justice are hand-billing the MSM facilities. Along with literature about OVACO’s abuse of workers’ rights in Shelbyville, union supporters are providing MSM employees with information about joining the Steelworkers Union.
OVACO employees in Shelbyville voted to be represented by USW Local 1693 in August 2006. After becoming frustrated with the company’s illegal stall tactics at the bargaining table, members struck on June 1, 2007. They returned to work in August after a federal labor board substantiated Steelworkers’ charges that OVACO had acted illegally.
USW continues to fight OVACO’s union busting tactics and to seek a fair first contract for members in Shelbyville. USW has succeeded in returning to work seven of the nine employees OVACO managers illegally suspended or discharged following USW’s offer to return to work in August. USW continues to fight for the remaining two.
The NLRB recently issued a complaint based on 12 charges filed by the USW. The charges include threats of physical violence by OVACO supervisors as well as retaliatory suspensions and terminations.
In the course of campaign research, the Steelworkers exposed numerous unsettling facts about the company and the Mackin family that owns it. Although prominent in the Louisville Catholic community, members of the Mackin family recently fought the City of Louisville to keep an “XXX Mega-Center” – Pure Pleasure Entertainment – open.
In addition, the USW recently disclosed that the Mackins’ Shelbyville plant general manager has been charged with a felony sex crime.
Also, a jury recently unanimously concluded that Interlock CFO Craig Mackin illegally terminated an employee for taking leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act to receive treatment for breast cancer. (U.S. District Court, Western Dist. Ky., Civil Action No. 3:03CV-236-R)
“OVACO and Interlock continue to pull every trick in the book, from illegal bargaining and discharges to reneging on an agreement to allow the workers to vote on whether they want a union shop,” said USW District 8 Director Billy Thompson. “USW remains as committed as ever to getting a fair first contract for the workers at OVACO in Shelbyville