The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

July 17, 2008

Talks resume in Greenbrier labor dispute

By Christian Giggenbach

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — Contract negotiations resumed Wednesday in the six-month Greenbrier resort labor dispute as union officials offered a “full comprehensive proposal” to management.

Harold Bock, lead negotiator for the Council of Labor Unions, said a response is expected from resort officials at the next scheduled meeting July 31.

“This is not just a proposal that only covers health insurance,” Bock said Thursday. “This is a fully reconstructed, comprehensive proposal which covers all of the issues.”

Bock declined to comment further on the specifics of the union’s proposal.

Lynn Swann, the resort’s director of public relations said “the master agreement discussions were professional and productive.”

“We look forward to completing successful negotiations,” Swann said Thursday.

Despite a no-strike, no-lockout pact signed by both sides in June, several major issues, such as health benefits, pension funds and hourly wages, have kept both sides from signing a new contract for the more than 1,100 union members at the resort.

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Gov. Joe Manchin said a “long-term solution” needs to be found in the labor dispute.

Manchin was in White Sulphur Springs Wednesday after traveling from Charleston on his Harley Davidson during his participation in the Kyle Petty Charity Ride, which had a layover in the Spa City.

Although Manchin did not stay the night at the resort with the group, he visited The Greenbrier to get updated on the labor dispute from Greenbrier officials.

“I’ve been told that they (were meeting) and I’m going up there and talk a little bit to keep abreast of this situation,” he said.

Manchin said he planned to speak “informally” to resort president Andrew Fogarty about the labor dispute. Labor talks had already finished for the day by the time Manchin visited the resort.

Manchin recently helped broker the no-strike, no-lockout agreement that allowed unions members to work under the terms of their old contract through next January. However, much more work needs to be done, he said, especially in the areas of revenue streams versus labor costs.

“I’m very pleased that the agreement will make sure that people can work through this season, but we have to get a long-term solution. They know that and we all know that,” Manchin said. “It’s a matter of how to increase the amount of revenue coming into The Greenbrier to the point where (it) can sustain the quality jobs and quality lifestyles and the quality pay (of employees.) That’s what we are working toward.”

— E-mail: cgiggenbach@register-herald.com

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