THIS IS A UNION WEBSITE

OUR REBUTTAL LETTER TO THE ARTICLE IN THE 
ANTI-UNION TRIBUNE REVIEW DATED SEPTEMBER 8,2005. THEY REFUSE TO PRINT 
IT. WHY? MAYBE OUR MEMBERS SHOULD ASK THE BUSINESS EDITOR MICHAEL 
YEOMANS @ 412 320 7908.




IT WAS ALL ABOUT MONEY

TO THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW.

I FEEL THAT WE NEED TO RESPOND TO THE ARTICLE YOU WROTE ON SEPTEMBER 08,2005 CONCERNING THE MERIDIAN GROUP AND THEIR DEALINGS WITH THE GLENSHAW GLASS CO BANKRUPTCY.
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AS NOTED IN YOUR ARTICLE PNC BANK THE PRIMARY SECURED CREDITOR HAS BEEN PAID OFF. THIS WE FEEL WAS WHAT THE PRIMARY GOAL OF MERIDIAN WAS. THERE WAS NO INTENT TO KEEP THE PLANT OPERATING. TO KEEP IT OPERATING WOULD HAVE MEANT THAT PNC BANK WOULD HAVE HAD TO ADVANCE MORE MONEY TO GLENSHAW WHICH THEY WERE REFUSING TO DO.

WHEN MERIDIAN WAS SENT IN BY PNC BANK GLENSHAW GLASS CO. WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BY HURRICANE IVAN NEEDING FRESH CAPITAL FOR REPAIRS. THERE WERE FEW CUSTOMERS AND MOST OF THE PRODUCT BEING PRODUCED WAS BEING MADE ON HOPES THAT IT COULD BE SOLD. THIS WAS HOW GLENSHAW GLASS WAS MANAGED IN THE PAST AND A MAJOR CAUSE OF WHY GLENSHAW GLASS HAD SO MUCH DEBT. IT WAS MISMANAGEMENT NOT THE UNION CONTRACT THAT FORMED THIS DEBT. THE UNION CONTRACT IN THE PLANT WAS THE SAME CONTRACT THAT 40 + OTHER GLASS COMPANY’S ACROSS THE USA HAD AND THEY SURVIVED WITH IT AND MADE MONEY.

Ms. GOOD’S REMARKS THAT SHE HAD TO CLOSE THE PLANT BECAUSE THE UNION WORKERS REFUSED TO ACCEPT A 20 % WAGE REDUCTION IS LUDICROUS. IF ANYONE CONVINCED OUR MEMBERS TO REJECT HER CONCESSIONS IT WAS Ms. GOOD HERSELF.. Ms. GOOD ATTENDED THE THREE MEETINGS WITH THE UNION MEMBERS TO EXPLAIN HER CONCESSION NEEDS. SHE EXPECTED THE UNION WORKERS TO ACCEPT THE CONCESSIONS BUT REFUSED TO MAKE THEM APPLY TO THE SALARIED EMPLOYEE’S AS HAD BEEN DONE IN PAST CONCESSIONS THAT OUR MEMBERS HAD AGREED TO. MS. GOOD ALSO PAINTED DIFFERENT SCENARIOS ABOUT THE PLANT’S SURVIVAL AT EACH MEETING RAISING DOUBTS TO OUR MEMBERS ABOUT HER CREDIBILITY.

AFTER THE REJECTION BY OUR MEMBERS, I AS PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL UNION APPROACHED Ms GOOD AND TOLD HER SHE COULD EASILY GET AN AGREEMENT IF SHE WOULD TALK TO US TO RESOLVE OUR ISSUES BUT SHE REFUSED SAYING “IM PAST THAT. I NEED TO MOVE ON TO OTHER AREAS”. SHE NEVER WANTED TO FURTHER NEGOTIATE ON THE CONCESSIONS FUELING OUR BELIEF THAT SHE HAD NO INTENTION TO KEEP THE PLANT OPEN. WE FELT SHE WANTED TO TAKE THE HEAT OFF OF PNC BANK WHEN THE PLANT CLOSED BY BLAMING THE UNION.

THE UNION CONTINUED TRYING TO NEGOTIATE WITH Ms GOOD UNTIL THE PLANT CLOSED. NOW SHE PAINTS HERSELF AS SOME KIND OF CARING PERSON FOR US WHEN IN FACT IF SHE HAD REALLY CARED SHE WOULD HAVE CONVINCED PNC BANK TO KEEP THE PLANT OPEN UNTIL A BUYER COULD HAVE BEEN FOUND. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT HER COMPANY STANDS TO MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY WITH A BUYER RATHER THAN A LIQUIDATION AT THIS POINT. .MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT! ITS WAS ALL ABOUT MONEY!

I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. KELMAN A WEEK BEFORE THE NEWS BROKE ABOUT THE POSSIBLE SALE OF THE PLANT. HE SEEMS VERY INTERESTED IN RESTARTING THE PLANT AND WORKING OUT A FAIR CONTRACT. I APPLAUD HIM FOR HIS EFFORTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. I TOLD HIM THERE IS A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, DEVOTED AND CARING WORKFORCE AVAILABLE TO HIM. IN THE PAST GLENSHAW GLASS CONTAINERS WERE THE BENCHMARK OF QUALITY FOR THE GLASS INDUSTRY. THIS PLANT WAS ONCE VERY PROFITABLE AND I AM SURE CAN BE AGAIN WITH THE RIGHT PERSON WILLING TO INVEST IN IT.

SINCERELY,

LOU BRUDNOCK, LOCAL 134 PRESIDENT


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