Union workers, supporters rally for new ATI contract in Tarentum

TARENTUM, Pa. — Demonstrators gathered in Tarentum Thursday evening to rally in support of ATI (Allegheny Technologies Inc.) workers as a strike looms.

Local union leaders said the possibility of a strike or being locked out on the job could still be imminent, and the rally was meant to show solidarity. It’s now been nine days that the 2,500 unionized workers across four states have been without a contract.

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“Morale is kind of low right now. Everybody is just waiting, waiting to see what is going to happen,” Al Braden of Local 1138 in West Leecburg said.

Union leaders said the extension doesn’t have an expiration date and is basically day-to-day. At this point, there have been no negotiations between the union and company.

Local union leaders said ATI hasn’t budged from a list of 140 demands, including benefits and pensions for the 1,100 employees among the three plants in the Pittsburgh area.

When reached for comment, a spokesperson for ATI said it’s not in anyone’s best interest to comment during negotiations.

“Every contract, they take a little piece of us,” retiree Roy Kustro said.

Kustro said that even though he’s retired, he’s deeply troubled by what union leaders say is on the table.

“Now they want to eliminate the eight-hour work day, change it to 12, eliminate the 40-hour work week,” he said.

Tarentum Mayor Carl Magnetta kicked off the rally Thursday, the second in as many days.

“That's an absolute crime what they're trying to do to you people,” he said.

In an area with deep steel industry roots, union leaders compared the moment to a fork in the road.

“If they succeed, they'll be in corporate history across America. They'll be bronze statues of these people,” Fran Arabia said. “If they fail, they'll be teaching in college what you don't do to unions.”

WPXI