We are the United Steelworkers, North America’s largest industrial union. We’re 1.2 million members and retirees strong in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. We proudly represent men and women who work in nearly every industry there is.
July 9, 2020 - The Local Union received a favourable arbitration award on June 29, 2020, reinstating a terminated member, in a case led by one of our Local Union Representatives, Tamara Marshall. The Local’s past practice has been that lawyers represented union members at arbitrations, but Local 1944’s Local Union Representatives have now been trained so that they can represent our members instead.
“Tamara is the second Local Union Representative from Local 1944 to have arbitrated a case as first chair/counsel for a member, and the first to have WON,” said Donna Hokiro, Acting President of USW Local 1944. “This shows that our new system of having Local Union Representatives take on cases instead of lawyers works. Sister Marshall’s win is a big deal, an absolute outstanding feat for our Local Union. Especially when you consider all of the money and power behind the company’s lawyer, and yet we won, this is no small thing. Great work Tamara, thank you for your advocacy.”
Termination grievance
Local 1944 grieved the termination of a member in February 2019 for chronic tardiness. The Local Union took the position that the member’s tardiness was not culpable and that her termination was excessive discipline. The arbitrator accepted the Local Union’s position:
“The Grievor is a very senior employee of almost 29 years’ service, well-liked by her peers, with a good performance record, save and except for her tardiness and some absences. […] she has spent most of her working life in service to the Employer. The penalty imposed may create severe economic hardship for her.”
The arbitrator allowed the grievance, and the member returned to work on July 6.
Behind the scenes: The work put into an arbitration
Sister Tamara Marshall has been a Local Union Representative for 14 years. She has been to many arbitrations and learned from being involved and working with legal counsel. Preparing an arbitration implies researching case law and preparing it, meeting with the grievor, having numerous calls with the employer’s legal counsel, and attending several prehearing conferences with the company’s legal counsel and the arbitrator.
“Arbitrations for Local 1944 up until now have had legal counsel on both sides so I was a layperson against a lawyer with all their resources,” said Tamara Marshall.
“I understand that a company always has a business to run, but I think they can do more to recognise that employees are people with emotions and troubles in life,” she said. “This is why to be able to help someone have life return to normal and finish off their career is amazing. Helping members is the best and most rewarding part of my job and has always been the reason I am a Local Union Rep.”
This arbitration also involved the work of Acting President Donna Hokiro,...
LIBBEY BANKRUPTCY – JULY 9, 2020 -------------------------------------------
On July 8th Libbey announced their tentative plans to permanently close the Shreveport facility. The USW has responded by informing management and their bankruptcy lawyers that this action is unacceptable and does nothing to improve the Company in the short or long term. We have demanded to bargain over their reckless and unwarranted decision. Any business plan for a viable and sustainable Libbey Glass must include both the Shreveport and Toledo facilities.
On July 8th Libbey announced their tentative plans to permanently close the Shreveport facility. The USW has responded by informing management and their bankruptcy lawyers that this action is unacceptable and does nothing to improve the Company in the short or long term. We have demanded to bargain over their reckless and unwarranted decision. Any business plan for a viable and sustainable Libbey Glass must include both the Shreveport and Toledo facilities.
You can contact the Civil and Human Rights Committee at [email protected] [4] or fill in the online webform [5] to submit your application for a vacant position.
*For more details regarding the COVID-19 Positive leave hours benefit, please click on this link. [1]* /(When there, visit the *Questions & Answers [2]* section for details pertaining to how you can use the benefit.)
*For more details regarding the COVID-19 Positive leave hours benefit, please click on this link. [1]* /(When there, visit the *Questions & Answers [2]* section for details pertaining to how you can use the benefit.)
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If you need assistance in filling out the form or have further questions regarding the benefit, KP Here4You is available 24/7 by email at *[email protected] [3] *
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If you need assistance in filling out the form or have further questions regarding the benefit, KP Here4You is available 24/7 by email at *[email protected] [3]. *
KP Here4You is also available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time by calling *877-457-4772 option 7.*
KP Here4You is also available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time by calling *877-457-4772 option 7.*
On July 8th Libbey announced their tentative plans to permanently close the Shreveport facility. The USW has responded by informing management and their bankruptcy lawyers that this action is unacceptable and does nothing to improve the Company in the short or long term. We have demanded to bargain over their reckless and unwarranted decision. Any business plan for a viable and sustainable Libbey Glass must include both the Shreveport and Toledo facilities.
We hope to work with other stakeholders in Libbey’s bankruptcy case who likewise are committed to U.S. manufacturing for the good of U.S. suppliers.
Obviously, we are more than disappointed by the lack of notice and meaningful opportunity to engage management before they made this announcement. We would have expected that any employer with which we have had a long-standing relationship would have given the union more than a few minutes of notice before issuing a press release.
The Union does not consent to the permanent closure of the Shreveport plant and we plan to bargain about the continuation of the work at Shreveport and to do so as part of a restructuring where the company commits to its U.S. manufacturing operations. Such a plan will benefit Libbey’s stakeholders, employees and also the communities where we live and work. We will contest the shutdown at the bargaining table and, if necessary, before the Bankruptcy Court.
We are prepared and have offered dates to meet with management to engage in meaningful dialog and to exchange proposals that recognize the contributions of the employees in a better and profitable Company going forward.
Your support for your bargaining committees and our solidarity and determination are important to achieving a fair and equitable contract that is part of a strategy that will produce a responsible business plan that will allow Libbey to exit bankruptcy and be a better managed Company. Stay strong and stay safe, we’ll keep you updated as we proceed.
