Cement workers threaten to strike this week after talks break down

No new negotiations are set between the union and Hawaiian Cement

LESS THAN two years after a concrete workers' strike crippled the island's construction industry and cost the state millions in lost time, workers at the state's largest cement supplier are threatening to walk off the job at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, officials with the Teamsters Local 996 announced yesterday.

"We don't want to strike, but the company has put a very unreasonable offer on the table," said Teamsters President Mel Kahele, who represents the 28 cement workers at Hawaiian Cement. "It's going to have an impact. With the 28 currently working there on strike, we're going to shut down the company."

Hawaiian Cement gave the Teamsters its "last, best and final" offer on Friday night, which union representatives have rejected and will not take to members for a vote, Kahele said. No new negotiations are set, though both sides said they're willing to talk.

Ron Taketa, financial secretary for the Hawaii Carpenters union, said the construction industry only recently fully recovered from the concrete workers' strike.

A second strike "would be tragic," he said. "I just hope the parties can responsibly resolve their issues without affecting an industry that is next to tourism in terms of its importance to our economy."

Hawaiian Cement vice president Michael Coad said the company's workers are responsible for unloading and distributing cement at plants on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. The cement is shipped in from points in Asia and the mainland.

It's then mixed with water to make concrete in-house or sold as powder to Ameron Hawaii, Island Ready Mix and other smaller concrete or cement distributors.

Coad could not say last night what percentage of the state's cement supply the company provides, but did confirm Hawaiian Cement is the largest supplier in the state. He declined to comment on the potential impact of the strike, but said that there are "contingency plans" in place that would keep cement moving in the event of a strike.

He would not elaborate on the plans or say whether the same amount of cement could be distributed.

In February 2004, 67 Hawaiian Cement concrete workers -- including mixer truck drivers and quarry workers -- walked off the job.

Their strike lasted 40 days and coincided with a concrete workers' strike at Ameron Hawaii, the state's largest concrete provider.

It's still unclear whether a cement worker's strike would have an immediate impact on construction in the state. During the concrete workers' strikes, construction on some projects came to a halt.

Hawaiian Cement started notifying its customers yesterday of the possible strike. Tomorrow, Kahele will meet with cement workers to discuss strike plans and the company's final offer.

Hawaiian Cement's offer included a $1 an hour wage increase and a 20 percent medical co-pay. Currently, cement workers at Hawaiian Cement get between $24 and $28 an hour, Kahele said.

He also said the workers' out-of-pocket expenses for the proposed co-pay would exceed the amount of money gained in the $1 an hour wage increase. But Coad said the cement workers are the only employees at the company who don't have to contribute to a medical co-pay.

"We have put what we believe is a reasonable offer on the table," he said of the proposed five-year contract.