L’Observateur / July 12, 2000

The news of an end in sight to the United Steelworkers strike at Kaiser Aluminum comes as a welcome surprise in the midst of spiraling lawsuits and federal fines.

For nearly two years, the company and the union were apparently at loggerheads, unable to budge from either side’s position and with no end in sight.

Meanwhile, the families caught in the middle have been struggling to meet basic essentials. Savings for children’s college educations weresacrificed, and many spouses found work outside the home to help with expenses.

It’s hard for anyone to imagine the emotional stress which engulfs a family when the household’s main breadwinner is suddenly on strike, with no light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Families feel helpless, withevents out of their control. All they can do is cling to hope, whilestruggling to carry on, day by day.

Kaiser families in the River Parishes can finally see that long-awaited light. Current negotiations are aimed at settling vital concerns, and anarbiration panel waits to settle any issues which may remain. Thedeadline set to end the strike is Sept. 30, the second anniversary of thelabor dispute.

Regardless of who was on the “right” side, we look forward to putting this story to an end and moving along to other subjects, while hundreds of families are put right again.

L’Observateur

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