Lima Ohio -
More than four months out of work and members of the United Steel Workers Local 624 were back at the union hall on Sunday for a vote.
On Friday, Union President Mike Edelbrock suggested that members of the Local 624 vote down the contract, despite the fact that Husky's new offer met the national oil bargaining pattern.
After counting the votes, the message was clear, members are willing to stay on the line and strike, choosing to vote the new contract down in an overwhelming fashion.
Many workers went into Sunday's voting with an open mind, but decided to vote the proposed contract down following something Husky added to the new contract. The addition would require workers to respond to a call to come into work in less than an hour. If workers did not respond in less than an hour, disciplinary action would have been taken.
Husky released the following statement,
"We are extremely disappointed our final offer has been rejected. The union leadership has kept our employees off the job for four months and it is apparent they do not want to come back to work ... It is unfortunate that the union would allow this strike to carry on in order to push an agenda that is not in the best interest of the refinery, our employees or the community."
Edelbrock will meet with Husky on Tuesday to develop yet another contract.
