Facts Related to Our South Shore Manufacturing Facility and Proposed Union Contract

November 14, 2016

HarbisonWalker International (“HWI”) fully respects the rights of its employees at the South Shore Plant (“the facility”) to bargain collectively through the United Steel Workers Union (USW) Local 133. The parties have engaged in good-faith negotiations to reach a new labor contract since February 2016, sometimes with the assistance of a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. HWI stands ready and willing to return to the bargaining table to complete the negotiations with Local 133 for a new and fair contract.

Since HWI understands that the South Shore community has questions about the status of the negotiations, HWI has created this site to present historical and factual information that has previously been shared with the bargaining committee of Local 133.

Any questions about this site should be directed to HWI at southshoreinfo@thinkhwi.com.

Overview of Contract Negotiations

HWI began collective bargaining negotiations with USW Local 133 for our manufacturing facility in South Shore, Kentucky, USA, in February 2016. At that time and until April 15, 2016, the facility was fully operational and the parties were working under the terms of an existing labor contract as well as a contract extension while the parties worked toward a new agreement. Since the expiration of the contract extension, HWI has not changed any terms and conditions at the facility while it has bargained for a new agreement with USW Local 133.

On October 10, 2016, USW Local 133 called a strike vote, and its members voted to commence an economic strike at the facility and withhold their services from HWI. This strike continues to this day and involves 120 represented employees.

On October 10, HWI issued a public statement addressing the economic strike and included the following details about the proposed contract:

“Our objective throughout the bargaining process has been to secure a fair contract that ensures a bright future for our employees and meets the needs of our customers. Our last contract offer would achieve these twin objectives by providing market-competitive wages with lump-sum bonuses and maintaining a high level of healthcare benefits for our employees and their families through limited changes to our insurance plans. We remain committed to reaching a new contract with the USW.”