By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / March 24, 1999

GRAMERCY – Kaiser Aluminum and the United Steelworkers of America plan to sit down again April 5-9 in Denver, Colo., for another round oftalks aimed at ending the 6-month-old strike.

USAW Local 5702 spokesman Sam Thomas said the talks are to allow the union to respond to the company’s latest proposal issued in January. “Wehope they’ll bargain in good faith,” Thomas said.

Kaiser issued a brief press release which affirmed the planned talks, and added “its full negotiating team will be present in the meetings. A federalmediator will be present.”A midday rally is set by union strikers at their Airline Highway picket line on April 1, to be followed by a fish fry at the Lutcher Public Relations Building near Lutcher High School.

Meanwhile, the St. James Parish Council approved a resolution Wednesdaywhich calls for an end to the lockout, which began Jan. 14, and what theParish Council called unfair labor practices.

The resolution, offered by Councilman Eric Poche and seconded by Councilman Ralph Patin Jr., claims “a series of unfair labor practices byKACC led to the initial strike by the United Steelworkers of America on Sept. 30, 1998.”The resolution continues that the Gramercy facility’s union workers “earn less pay, lower pensions and lower benefits than their counterparts at Alcoa and Reynolds,” and that the union worked with the company to make certain pay and benefit sacrifices several years ago to help the company.

The Parish Council called for Kaiser “to return the locked-out steelworkers to their jobs, pull the replacement workers out…and beginimmediately serious contract negotiations with the United Steelworkers of America to produce a fair and equitable agreement for all concerned.”Meanwhile, on the picket line itself, Ed Morris of Garyville said, “We’re just trying to hold it together.” He added the lockout in January “wasprobably the best thing that happened to us,” as it prevented wavering strikers from going back and promoted solidarity among the picketers.

Morris has 26 years on the job.

“Our guys’ morale is very good,” Thomas said. “Support from thecommunity is still there, and the public is understanding the issues better.”

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