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Striking workers picket at the entranceways to Momentive Performance Materials on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, on Route 4 in Waterford, N.Y. (Will Waldron/Times Union)
Striking workers picket at the entranceways to Momentive Performance Materials on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, on Route 4 in Waterford, N.Y. (Will Waldron/Times Union)
Striking workers from Momentive Performance Materials, and solidarity supporters, hold a banner with 4,000 signatures that they planned to deliver to Leon Black at Apollo Global Management in New York, a New York City-based hedge fund which is the largest minority owner in the plant, on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, on Route 4 in Waterford, N.Y. The workers, who are represented by IUE-CWA Locals 81359 and 8130, are asking for good-faith negotiations with 700 Waterford Workers. (Will Waldron/Times Union)
Striking workers from Momentive Performance Materials, and solidarity supporters, hold a banner with 4,000 signatures that they planned to deliver to Leon Black at Apollo Global Management in New York, a New
Striking workers from Momentive Performance Materials, and solidarity supporters, board busses bound for New York to deliver 4,000 signatures to Leon Black at Apollo Global Management in New York, a New York City-based hedge fund which is the largest minority owner in the plant, on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, on Route 4 in Waterford, N.Y. The workers, who are represented by IUE-CWA Locals 81359 and 8130, are asking for good-faith negotiations with 700 Waterford Workers. (Will Waldron/Times Union)
Striking workers from Momentive Performance Materials, and solidarity supporters, board busses bound for New York to deliver 4,000 signatures to Leon Black at Apollo Global Management in New York, a New York
The three-month-old strike at the Momentive chemical plant in Waterford could be over as early as Wednesday under a tentative contract agreement announced Thursday by union officials.
While details on the pact will not be made public until after strikers have learned of them, Dennis Trainor, vice president for CWA District One, credited Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office with helping mediate the dispute between Momentive Performance Materials and its 700 unionized workers.
“We believe we have reached an agreement that addresses the concerns of our striking members about retirement health and pension security,” said Trainor. “While our members still have to review and vote on the proposed agreement, the IUE-CWA local union bargaining team believes it has hammered out a deal which will give our members — both active employees and retirees –peace of mind for themselves and their families.”
Workers will vote Monday and Tuesday on whether to accept the deal. If approved, strikers would go back to work Wednesday. Since walking out Nov. 2, strikers have been picketing 24 hours a day at the plant entrances along Routes 4 and 32.
Cuomo administration officials, speaking on background, said mediation was headed by state Operations Director James Malatras and Governor’s Office of Employee Relations Director Michael N. Volforte, and that efforts started in mid-January.
Jack Boss, President and CEO of Momentive said, “We believe this agreement provides a fair, market competitive package for our employees and their families while allowing Momentive to remain competitive. With the endorsement of CWA leadership and the local Union presidents, we look forward to ratification of the agreement so that we can work together to serve our customers and build a stronger Momentive.”
Boss came to Cuomo’s office as part of the effort. Further negotiations occurred in New York City between Boss and Trainor, according to the governor’s office.
Issues included a reduction in the company’s initial demand for pension cuts, an agreement by Momentive not to impose layoffs for an undefined period, and establishment of an independent process to review the cases of more than a dozen union members fired for alleged sabotage at the plant prior to the strike.
A CWA statement also credited state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, U.S. senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and state elected officials for their support of the strikers. DiNapoli visited the strike headquarters on Wednesday.
In 2010 and 2013, workers had approved earlier company-demanded cuts in pay and benefits. This year, workers refused, saying a third consecutive contract to cut benefits for workers and retirees, some of whom have ongoing health problems linked to years of working with toxic chemicals, would be unfair.
Workers are represented by IUE/CWA Locals 81359 and 81380.
Last month, Momentive went to court seeking to impose limits on striker numbers and behavior, but state Supreme Court Judge Thomas Nolan refused to grant the company’s request, and scheduled another hearing on the issue for Feb. 22.
Since the strike started, the company has been running the plant with managers and newly-hired replacement workers. Cuomo officials said that the state was concerned over “plant stability” and safety in wanting the strike ended.
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