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The United Steelworkers of America approved a new contract Saturday at
the Parkersburg True Temper plant. The 370 workers, several of them
long-time employees from Calhoun and the region, put their stamp on the
document by a 3-1 margin.
The four-year contract allows for some increases in pension and wage
benefits. Union rep Jim Nichols said the contract was nothing to "Hoop and
holler about, but in this day and age, I think it's significant. The important
thing is we will be back to work."
The plants 450 union workers will be returning to work Sunday night, after
rejecting a proposal last week 8-1. The problem with the contact was the
company requiring its workers to pay portions of health insurance
premimums.
However, the approved contract will still require them to do so, but will
include signing bonuses.
True Temper sales, or their parent company U.S. Industries, have been down
26 percent, showing a nine-month loss of $241 million ending in June. The
company makes farm and garden tools.
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