Husky union rejects contract

LIMA — Members of the union representing more than 200 workers at the Lima Refinery have rejected their latest contract offer.Mike Edelbrock, president of United Steel Workers Local 624, said members overwhelming voted Friday to reject the contract with Husky Energy. They plan to return to the negotiating table while they continue to work under a temporary, rolling contract.“It was rejected on almost a five to one margin. We sent the company an e-mail telling them we were willing to meet again Tuesday,” Edelbrock said. The union and company have been negotiating since mid-March on a three-year contract to replace their most recent deal, which expired April 15. Union members have been working under a temporary contract since, but voted earlier this week to authorize a strike if necessary.Edelbrock said the union leadership's ultimate goal is to come to an agreement.“We're willing to continue to negotiate. Our goal is an agreement,” Edelbrock said. Husky officials did not return calls Friday.The membership had problems with a number of issues in the contract, including premium pay and double time and the company's push to regulate how they use vacation days. Currently, employees have a right to use their time off as they see fit, freeing them up to trade days off if they have family events or other things they want to do. The deal Husky offered would change that, Edelbrock said. “The company's proposal has a lot of flex about taking away our rights. We're not asking for more vacation time, we just want control over how we use it,” Edelbrock said. The membership also took issue with certain elements of the pay package offered, Edelbrock said, an issue complicated by the fact that Husky's profits are printed in the local paper every quarter. Last year, Husky's net earnings increased by 135 percent. The company brought in $2.2 billion in 2011.“We have good, hard workers at that refinery and we helped produce that profit. We don't want all of it, but we expect to share in the success,” Edelbrock said. You can comment on this story at www.limaohio.com.