Employees with RHI Monofrax went on strike Monday, Sept. 29 after voting down a new contract with management. (Photo courtesy of Nate Evans)
FALCONER – The strike continues at RHI Monofrax in Falconer, with management and union leaders expected to meet today to try and work out their differences.
More than 130 employees went on strike on Sept. 29 after refusing to accept terms of a new contract with company leadership. Unioin officials have said that they simply want fair compensation for the work that they provide. The workers were upset that the company is seeking increased contributions from workers for healthcare benefits while also freezing their pensions.
Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) has been working with Monofrax to help secure contracts from the Department of Energy and announced earlier this year that the DOE was initiating a $1.5 million contract with the company.
During this week’s conference call with regional reporters, Reed said that he is aware of the strike and has been in contact with company officials, but added that he is not getting directly involved with any type of negotiations. “We have been communicating but as this is something that needs to be resolved between management and labor, we’ve encouraged the stakeholders to come together at the table to resolve their differences. I’m cautiously optimistic that these talks will lead to a positive outcome for both.”
Monofrax makes fusion cast refractories primarily used in the glass industry. The federal government buys materials from the plant to clean up nuclear waste, by converting the waste into a form of glass.
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