Concrete talks to continue

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

Ameron Hawaii negotiators left last night's concrete contract talks with new suggestions over the sticking point of medical payments and will return to the table tomorrow afternoon.

Neither Teamsters nor Ameron officials would describe suggestions made by federal mediator Ken Kawamoto, but both sides said the ideas were not an official "proposal."

"We need to take the mediator's suggestions and digest them and put some thought to them," said Ameron vice president George West. "It's a positive that we're back for another meeting on Thursday."

Asked if the meeting brought the sides closer to ending the strike, Teamsters president Mel Kahele said, "I'm not saying we're close because the company has not proposed that idea that the mediator's floating around. So, if in the event that the company's in agreement, we may be looking at possibly getting closer."

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8085.