Armco steel locks out workers

By Wally Kaufman

MANSFIELD, Ohio - Dozens of strikes and lockouts are being fought in the basic steel industry and new ones keep being added. One of the latest involves 650 steelworkers employed at the Armco steel company here, members of Local 169, USWA. They were locked out of the plant at midnight Aug. 26.

The local contract expired on that date and the union offered to work under the old contract while negotiations continued. The company rejected the offer and shut down the plant. Local President Mark Robertson said the company had chosen to "board up buildings and build fences and walls rather than negotiate a decent and fair contract."

Before the lockout, Armco filed suit against the union for "unlawful work stoppages causing lost profits," and is charging the union with "threats, violence, and the disruption of production." Robertson countered by referring to the "calm and peaceful demeanor of workers on the picket lines," adding that the company brought in "security thugs" to provoke his members. "We're not the ones standing at the gates and fences with military boots," he said.

David McCall, director of USWA District 1, said the union plans to file unfair labor charges against the company. Job security as well as wages and benefits are contract issues. The company had already laid off a number of workers before the lockout. A cloud of uncertainty is cast over the whole proceedings with talk of a buyout by AK Steel located in Pittsburgh.

The lockout in Mansfield is only one hour north of Newark on State Route 13, where the USWA Local 341 Kaiser Aluminum workers will be on strike a full year Sept. 30 (see story page 8).

As in all strikes and lockouts involving steelworkers, "One day longer" and "losing is not an option" is to be heard on the picket lines.