USWA Sees Ups, Downs At Two Strikes

Compiled ByMichael A. Verespej An administrative law judge has found the United Steel Workers of America (USWA) and two of its Pueblo, Colo., locals guilty of labor law violations in a nearly 3-year-old dispute at Rocky Mountain Steel Mills, which is owned by Oregon Steel Mill Inc. But the judge decided not to file sanctions against the union and instead ordered the local chapters to end 17 specific types of picket line harassment and employee coercion. Just three months ago, Oregon Steel had been found guilty of labor law violations and ordered to reinstate workers with back pay. Meanwhile, a 22-month strike that Kaiser Aluminum Corp. turned into a lockout of USWA employees is nearing an end -- the two sides have agreed to send issues unresolved after last week's negotiations to binding arbitration. The Kaiser work dispute involves 2,900 workers at five plants in three states.