Steelworkers, building trades unions come together on contractors

The building trades unions have taken exception to disparaging comments the United Steelworkers have made during contract talks in the ongoing strike of U.S. refineries and chemical plants that contractor labor is neither high quality nor safe.

Many contractors use union-represented skilled crafts workers including electricians, plumbers, welders, iron workers and pipe fitters.

To resolve the simmering dispute, the leaders of the Steelworkers union and the North America's Building Trades Unions issued a joint statement Wednesday to clarify the scope of contractor responsibilities at the nation's refineries and chemical plants.

"We are issuing this statement to make clear that the scope of work USW is seeking in negotiations with the refinery owners does not and will not include the following: new construction; turnaround or shutdown work (not currently performed by in-house USW members); and specialty work that requires specialty equipment," according to Leo Gerard, international president of the Steelworkers, and Sean McGarvey, president of the North America's BuildingTrades Unions.

   

In addition, the Steelworkers vowed that it does not and will not seek to bar the subcontracting of that kind of work to contractors whose employees are represented by the building trades unions.

Skilled contractors

The Steelworkers also acknowledged that union contractors use "the best trained, most skilled and safest craft workers in the world."

For the duration of the strike, the building trades will respect the Steelworkers picket lines and refrain from performing their work, according to the agreement.

However, the building trades will be allowed to continue working on rebuilding existing facilities as well as new construction.

Negotiations on hold

As for the strike itself, Shell Oil Co. spokesman Ray Fisher said that as of Wednesday afternoon, no new negotiations were scheduled.

Shell is negotiating on behalf of the oil industry in the sprawling strike that began Feb. 1 and includes 15 plants, including five in the Houston area.

Source: Houston Chronicle