Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 11, 1991 TAG: 9103110194
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
"For those workers who show up, there will be operations as normal," said production manager Bill Brubaker. It was the first statement from the company since the United Auto Workers went on strike two days ago.
Brubaker said the Pulaski County plant would operate with salaried personnel on the production line. As of December, there were about 370 salaried people at the plant.
He would not comment on whether Volvo would hire replacement workers.
Union members met for two hours Sunday afternoon at the Dublin union hall, where officials filled them in on the contract negotiations.
Richard Stoots, financial secretary for Local 2069, said afterward that the strike would continue.
The union has said the company failed to meet its demands on wages and benefits in an offer made just hours before the three-year labor contract expired Friday at midnight.
"We feel like we have a good package on the table," Brubaker said. He would not comment on details of Volvo's offer, but said there was no reduction in wages or benefits.
"The company is interested in continuing negotiations to resolve the dispute, and we expect to meet in the very near future," Brubaker said. He declined to comment on whether a future meeting would be initiated by the company.
Union officials have said that it's up to Volvo to return to the bargaining table.
Neither side has indicated when talks would resume.
The UAW went on strike after five weeks of contract negotiations, the first walkout since Volvo opened the plant in 1974.
About 680 hourly workers are employed at Volvo. Citing sluggish sales, the company over the past five months has laid off another 380 workers, most of whom still belong to the union and are affected by the strike.
Brubaker said the company did not increase production during the talks to build up inventory in case of a labor stoppage. Rather, the plant was shut down for four weeks out of the 10 since the beginning of the year due to a lack of orders, he said.
by CNB