AFL-CIO weighs in on Wheeling-Pitt strike: As company walks out of talks, labor calls for national support

by Denise Winebrenner

This article was reprinted from the April 19, 1997 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

PITTSBURGH - For the first time ever, the AFL-CIO is organizing a Solidarity Conference in order to bring the full power of the 13 million-member organization to bear on the strike of 4,500 members of the Steelworkers union on strike against the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation (WP).

This unprecedented meeting, set for April 26 in Pittsburgh, comes on the heels of a walkout by WP representatives who broke off negotiations on April 15, telling the union to call the company when it had a "meaningful pension offer."

Sweeney, in an appeal to state federations, central labor councils and local unions in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, called on them to attend the unprecedented meeting to "jointly develop some new strategies to deal with Wheeling-Pittsburgh and its CEO Ron LaBow."

Sweeney said the story of Wheeling-Pitt "is one that we have become all too familiar with." He said the question of pensions that match industry standards was at "the heart of the strike." He cited WP as an example of the "corporate irresponsibility and anti-union behavior" that the AFL-CIO is "committed to confronting."

The April 15 walkout was the second time WP negotiators left a meeting arranged by Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) in an effort to reach a settlement in the 6-month-old strike. Ron LaBow, CEO at WP, refused to attend the meeting, despite a personal invitation from Rockefeller. Earlier negotiations floundered when WP announced its intention to close three plants, thus padlocking the gate on 230 jobs.

At a press conference following the WP walkout, Jim Bowen, the union's chief negotiator, charged LaBow with union-busting and destruction of Ohio and Mon Valley communities.

Calling the walkout an "illegal action," Bowen said it "demonstrates conclusively that Ron LaBow has no interest in bargaining a reasonable labor agreement. . .Mr. LaBow is committed to destroying our union and the communities in which we live" and is willing to risk destruction of WP in the process.

"I am here to make equally clear that he and his friends will not be allowed to take the money and run," Bowen said.

Bowen called for unity "to do whatever it takes" to prevent the Wall Street financier from destroying the Ohio and Mon valleys.

"I call upon all people of goodwill - religious leaders, community leaders and others of good faith - to come together and speak with one voice against this ruthless lawbreaker."

The presidents of the eight striking local unions, together with District Director Andrew "Lefty" Palm and Ron Bloom, special assistant to USWA President George Becker, joined Bowen at the conference.

Bloom told reporters the strike has cost WP stockholders over $100 million and that losses increase "with each tick of the clock." He said that instead of trying to find a solution to the strike "Ron LaBow is running around with a massive media campaign and talking directly with union families." Bloom described LaBow's personal telephone campaign a "fool's errand."

Dealing with sometimes hostile and even silly questions, Bloom hammered on the fact that the union did not walk away from negotiations.

"We don't flirt. We don't dance. We don't walk away," he said sternly. "We are serious about this strike and serious about the contract."

Resolutions supporting the strike can be sent to: USWA-WPLU Assistance Fund; 2084 National Road, 1st Floor; Wheeling, WV 26003.

      - Fred Gaboury contributed to this story.