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GLEN DALE -- The union that represents striking workers of a Marshall County metal packaging plant said it has reached an agreement with the company.
The International Association Of Machinists And Aerospace Workers District Lodge 54 announced Friday on its Twitter account that it had reached a tentative deal to put 30 of its laborers back to work at Tecnocap. On Saturday, the union made another post saying its Local 818 had ratified the agreement.
"@MachinistsUnion Local 818 has ratified a new 3 year agreement at @tecnocapgroup -- the strike is over after 130 days and our members will return to work on Monday!" the union tweeted.
Neither union leaders nor company officials could be reached Saturday for comment. The union has not said what the terms of the new agreement would be.
IAMAW workers at the Tecnocap plant unanimously rejected a new contract and voted to strike in early April. Picketers saw the seasons change as the strike went on and its members carried signs in the summer sun in front of the plant, which sits along W.Va. 2.
Health insurance rates were among the issues, according to union spokesman John Carr. In the spring, he had said the company wanted to transfer some of its workers from the IAMAW to another union that also represents workers at the plant. That would have significantly increased the health insurance costs for those workers, he said.
The union also alleged the company's actions regarding bargaining were illegal. It filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board on April 10. According to the NLRB website, the company had answered that charge, but the case remained open. It was unclear what, if any, effect the filing may have had on the agreement's outcome.
Tecnocap develops and manufactures metal closures, aluminum aerosol cans and bottles, according to its website. Its customers include those in the industries of food and beverage; cosmetics and personal care; candles; aerosols and bottles; and pharmaceuticals.