Kaiser Aluminum Breaks Off Negotiations,
Refuses To End 15-Month Illegal Lockout

Pittsburgh, PA, April 26 — The United Steelworkers of America today condemned the decision by top management of Kaiser Aluminum (NYSE: KLU) late Tuesday evening to walk away from the bargaining table and break off negotiations over a new labor agreement with 2,900 Steelworkers who were illegally locked out from their jobs over 15 months ago.

David Foster, Chairman of the Union’s Negotiating Committee, said in a written communication to Kaiser Aluminum negotiators, “I find it incredible that Kaiser has chosen to spurn a negotiated settlement while it continues its illegal lockout of 2,900 USWA members.  We remain ready and willing to continue the negotiations any time, anywhere and any place.”

On Tuesday, April 25, 2000, the Union presented Kaiser negotiators with a new comprehensive, 5-year proposal which would dramatically boost productivity at its plants and would, at the end of the five-year contract, provide Kaiser with annual labor cost savings of $10 million (5% below their 1998 level). Instead of responding to this major Union initiative, Kaiser withdrew several of its previous proposals and announced that it was unwilling to continue bargaining.

In conclusion, Foster said, “Kaiser has made very clear that its real agenda in its war on its workers is destruction of their union and an absolute right to cut off all health insurance for  9,000 retirees and their spouses.  Kaiser’s tradition as a once-proud model corporate citizen has been stained forever by the continuing illegal actions of its current owner and management.” 

USWA members struck Kaiser Aluminum in response to the company’s unfair labor practices and substandard contract offer on September 30, 1998, and offered to return to work on January 13, 1999. On January 14, 1999, the company locked out over 2,900 USWA members at its plants in Gramercy, Louisiana, Newark, Ohio, and Tacoma and Spokane, Washington.