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Latrobe Specialty Steel Workers Blast Management Decision to Lock Out Work Force

For Immediate Release                                                 May 9, 2008

LATROBE, PA. – Workers from Latrobe Specialty Steel voted last night to end their eight-day old strike and make an offer to management to return to work.  Today, however, management informed the workers that the company rejected the offer and had decided, instead, to lock out the employees.

Members of United Steelworkers Local 1537 had decided to end their strike in a good faith effort to bargain a new labor agreement and last evening took down picket lines at plant gates in a show of good faith.  The picket lines will now return in protest of the lockout.

USW Local 1537 President Kevin Caruso said, “We’ve made this offer to return to work and show we are willing to try to settle differences with the company.  Management has rejected this offer, which shows that they care little about their customers and instead appear to be intent on picking a fight with this union and punishing its employees.  Our members understand, and management should also understand, that the Steelworkers will continue its struggle until we are able to bargain a fair agreement.”

The 360-member local union called a strike at the plant May 1 when the previous labor agreement expired.  Significant issues included hourly pay rates, pension and insurance benefits, and union efforts to maintain equal standards for newly hired workers.  Management withdrew its final offer shortly after the strike began and has yet to present a new offer for the workers’ consideration.

For more information, contact:

Kevin Caruso, USW Local 1537 President, 724-539-8546

Howard Scott, USW Strategic Campaigns, 412-580-6980

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