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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, January 24, 1992                   TAG: 9201240226
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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UNION SPURNS TARMAC OFFER

Local D-314 of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers has rejected a Tarmac Roanoke Cement Co. contract renewal offer that would raise insurance payments for employees of the Botetourt County plant.

"We hope to get back to the bargaining table and hash this out," said Jeffrey Stump, president of the union, which represents 158 hourly employees.

The union Wednesday night turned down the company offer by a ratio of 35 to 1, Stump said. Roanoke Cement Co. officials could not be reached Thursday for comment on the union action.

Labor relations with the plant management are good, Stump said, "and I hope we can work this out." The union "is not talking of a strike right now but it is an option," he added.

The proposal offers more pay, but Stump said that's not an issue. He said the union objects to three features of the company offer: its proposal to shift present health insurance payments for plant retirees to the former employees; a proposed increase of deductibles on employee insurance, from $200 to $300 for individuals and from $400 to $600 for families; and the subcontracting of bargaining-unit work, mostly in maintenance, to outside companies. - Staff report

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