Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, D-W.Va., issued the following statement following the vote by union workers to ratify Constellium's contract offer.
"I am extremely pleased the members voted to ratify the contract this evening. I want to thank both the company and the union for their hard work in resolving the work stoppage. This deal is extremely important to Jackson County's economy, the over 1,000 workers employed by Constellium, and the entire state of West Virginia. It will be great to see the workers back at the plant soon."
Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R, W.Va., released the following statement regarding the Constellium vote.
"I am very pleased that both sides could find an agreement that allows West Virginians to get back to work. With 8% unemployment for 43 consecutive months, every singe job matters. I have been following negotiations closely and know that both sides worked diligently toward this goal. West Virginia is known for its dedicated workforce, and I am pleased that production at the Ravenswood facility will resume shortly."
U.S. senators Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin also issued statements shortly after Wednesday's news that a new contract had been approved by workers at Constellium Rolled Products in Jackson County.
U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., issued this statement.
"I am so pleased to see that Constellium and its workers have come to an agreement. Our
West Virginia work ethic is legendary, and these workers will make sure that Constellium continues to grow and prosper. I communicated to both sides throughout these negotiations, and I'm glad that all parties kept working toward a solution. I applaud the workers, the union, and the company today, and I look forward to seeing production resume on the great work that only this Jackson County facility can produce for our country."
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., issued the following statement.
"So many people put in so much hard work to get Constellium's workers back on the job for a fair wage, and I congratulate them on reaching this agreement today," Senator Manchin said. "Over the course of these challenging negotiations, my priority has been to bring the parties together, treat everyone with respect and fairness and do our best to get our talented people back to work. I am extremely pleased today to see these West Virginians and this company come together around a fair deal. Today's agreement means that we can keep good-paying jobs and make the company successful – which will help create more even good jobs down the road. This is truly a great day for Ravenswood, Jackson County and all of West Virginia."
Workers at Constellium Rolled Products in Ravenswood approved a new contract agreement on Wednesday evening according to two United Steel Workers Local 5668 members.
The results are unofficial as a final vote total had not yet been released.
The almost 700 workers have been on strike for more than a month now in Jackson County. Constellium's last contract proposal covers the next five years, reportedly includes a signing bonus for workers, a 2.5% annual pay raise and requirements for employee health care contributions that are lower than what was originally proposed.
Late last week, Union members had indicated there were not be a vote on the contract offer, but that changed over the weekend and the deadline was extended to allow time for a vote on Wednesday.
The strike at Constellium Rolled Products started on August 5th. It is Jackson County's largest employer.
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