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Complete Forecast for  May 17 2008

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

Sitting at his desk in the building housing Local 1157 United Steelworkers, union President Willie Pinke points to a large binder labeled the Tyler Pipe Story and says he has seen many changes in the past few years.

"I was there during the bad times as we say. We're not saying it's the good times now, but we're saying that it's better times and we still have some steps to make," he said.

Pinke said some of the biggest changes are in safety at the foundry and the morale of the workers because of open communication with management.

"With the management we have in place now at Tyler Pipe I think we're well on our way because right now we've got a working relationship with the management," he said. "We didn't have that in the past."

Pinke and other union officials have been at the bargaining table many times since McWane took over Tyler Pipe in 1995 to improve working conditions and implement safety procedures. They have also attempted to stave off layoffs when the company faced a stressed market due to Chinese imports. However, the foundry did lay off more than 200 workers.

He said he believed the working conditions deteriorated when McWane bought the plant.

"Back then every morning when I woke up I would think what would I have to do today and who is going to get hurt?" he said.

Pinke said there are safety guards and railings all over the plant. Employees are not working long hours, but are now limited to no more than 50 hours each week.

He added there were guard teams that checked all the safety guards to make sure they are operating correctly, there is an on-site rescue team trained in multiple types of rescue including high and low angle. Pinke said the foundry also has a safety board, which consists of plant personnel and management so the employees can express areas of concern and work with the company to develop the safest possible environment.

He said he did not know if intense media coverage put pressure on McWane to change, but he did appreciate the effort by the media and the community.

"I can't say we put pressure on McWane or not but I do know that it might have opened their eyes to the situation that they needed to correct. I appreciate the community and the news media support and everything that happened to get a safer working place at Tyler Pipe," he said.

Pinke said the main objective of the union was to make sure that the employees got a fair day's pay for their work in a safe manner.

"We want everyone here to be able to live the American Dream and go home and be safe with their family without the fear of being maimed or killed on the job," he said.

Pinke said he would now recommend Tyler Pipe as a place to work.

"Five years ago I wouldn't have because I had a different viewpoint," he said. "We had 40 something people out on workers' compensation on average back then and today we have five people out of workers' comp right now. That's a long way from 40."

Pinke said he believes McWane has shown it wants to employ American workers and, more importantly for the Tyler economy, they want to keep Tyler Pipe open and operating. He said the proof of that is in the millions the company spent to make environmental and safety improvements.

"If they're spending this kind of money then to me that shows a commitment to this community and to the people who work there. "It is a lot different now from what it once was," he said.