Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 9, 1993 TAG: 9302090142
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FAIRLAWN LENGTH: Medium
ARSENAL UNION TO PROTEST PROPOSED PAY CHANGE
Union officials at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant say they will file a grievance against Hercules Inc. if the government contractor implements a proposed change in the wage workers' pay system.Union officials and workers are upset with a plan to move the weekly payday from Thursday to the next Wednesday because, under Hercules' proposal, the employees would not receive a check the first week in March.
Ken Thompson, president of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic workers Union, was tight-lipped with details, but said the union does plan to file a grievance.
"We feel that it's a violation of our contract," he said.
Nicole Kinser, public affairs officer for the arsenal, said the change is a cost-cutting effort that is necessary because the arsenal's payroll department has been working overtime to process the weekly checks.
She stressed that the arsenal is not withholding paychecks, but delaying them to give the payroll department an extra three days to process the checks.
The workers are upset because they believe they are losing a week's pay.
Here's what's happening: The check for the pay period ending Feb. 27, 1993, will be distributed on Wednesday, March 10, rather than Thursday, March 4.
That means the wage employees will get paid Feb. 25 and not again until March 10.
The paycheck on March 10 will be for only one week's pay.
"Who's going to pay our bills that week," said Larry Eskins, a boiler operator at the arsenal. "A lot of people live week to week. Who's going to buy our groceries then."
Kinser said Hercules tried to give the employees advance notice so they could prepare for the week without a check.
"They are just going to have to manage their money a little different in that time," she said.
As a result of the change, Hercules will be able to provide direct bank deposits of paychecks for wage employees, according to the letter advising the worker's of the change.
Greg Hatfield, a 17-year veteran at the arsenal, said a week without a paycheck is a tough blow for a family to absorb.
"We're all real concerned because there doesn't seem to be any justification for what they are doing," he said.