Union rejects Century Aluminum contract offer

Members of United Steelworkers Local 9423 rejected Century Aluminum's most recent contract offer for the union employees at its Hawesville smelter.

The union voted on the tentative agreement Thursday, and 353 voted against it while 131 voted in support of the contract, according to Local 9423's website.

John Beaver, president of Local 9423, said he believes there were some mixed feelings about the contract and that he didn't have a feeling as to how the vote was going to go.

The union will poll its members to develop a list of items of improvement or potential problems they see in the tentative agreement so the negotiating committee knows how to proceed, Beaver said.

"Obviously, our goal is to come up with a resolution that fits both parties' demands," he said.

The union presented the tentative agreement to the membership Oct. 22, according to Local 9423's website.

"We regret our employees' decision to reject what we believe to be a fair and equitable contract proposal," Hawesville plant manager Matt Powell said in a press release. "The plant is operating normally, and we will discuss next steps with the union leadership as appropriate."

Century spokesman Michael Dildine said the company had no further comment.

Local 9423's membership in June rejected a proposed contract from Century Aluminum Kentucky that it described then as being its "last, best and final offer." That contract was rejected 443 to 2.

Concerns with that proposal included the increasing cost of health care sharing for active employees and future retirees. Beaver said there was a big difference between that contract and the tentative agreement the union rejected Thursday.

Local 9423 is scheduling a time to return to negotiations with Century Aluminum.

The union's regular monthly meeting is Thursday in the Lewisport Fire Department. Members will cast a secret ballot either in support of the current sectional seniority or the plant seniority system identified in the tentative agreement. They will have an open-floor discussion to identify other items that require possible improvements to get a ratification, the website states.

"It is critical that your Committee, prior to meeting with the Company again, clearly understand the opinions of each member regarding their idea of what was lacking in the tentative agreement," the website states.

The most recent contract expired at midnight March 31, and contract extensions expired May 6.

Local 9423 last went on strike in 1998 when the smelter was operated by NSA Aluminum. That strike lasted about two years.

The membership earlier this year authorized the union to call a strike if necessary.