Qld MP backs US Steelworkers

Date: 06 February 2009

The United Steelworkers (USW) said today that workers at EaglePicher Technologies, in Joplin, Missouri, are gaining important political allies overseas in their struggle to reverse huge concessions forced on employees by management at the defense plant.

Last week, union workers at the facility, which manufactures sensitive technology to power missiles for the American, Australian and other militaries, gained the support of Yvette D'Ath, a a Queensland Federal Labor MP and former Australian Workers' Union official, in their labor dispute.

The United Steelworkers and the AWU are closely aligned unions in Australia and the USA.

In her Jan. 27 letter to David L. Treadwell, president and CEO of EaglePicher, D'Ath cites company demands that make workers' health insurance virtually unaffordable in an industry where the workplace is full of potential dangers and hazards such as heavy metals and mercury chloride. D'Ath also accused the company of "ignoring the union's proposal that would improve workers safety."

She said in her communications with Treadwell, "I strongly urge you to make a good faith attempt to reach a fair and equitable labour agreement as soon as possible."

EaglePicher touts itself in company literature as "the leading producer of batteries and energetic devices for the defense, space and commercial industries." The company has admitted that its USW-represented plant in Joplin is profitable, but demands deep concessions by the workers nonetheless.

EaglePicher was purchased in 2006 by the private equity firms Tennenbaum Capital Partners of Sana Monica, Calif., and Angelo Gordon & Co. of New York, N.Y.

USW members at EaglePicher vow to expand public support efforts in the United States as well as overseas in their campaign for a fair labor agreement in Joplin.

For further information

Contact:	Diane Heminway
Union:	United Steelworkers
Phone:	00111412-562-2519
WWW:	http://www.usw.org/

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