Hawaiian Cement's 'best, final' offer accepted

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

Negotiators for the striking concrete workers accepted Hawaiian Cement's "last, best and final" offer today and will recommend workers do the same in a ratification vote that could take place tomorrow.

If the workers ratify the offer, they could be back on the job by Monday, said Mel Kahele, Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996 leader.

Hawaiian Cement did not change its stance on the key sticking point in the five-week strike ÷ that employees should pay 20 percent of their medical-insurance premiums, up from zero now ÷ but company executives say they hoped calling it a final offer would force union leaders to take it to members for a vote.

"The negotiating process has been lengthy and slow, and we feel a responsibility to expedite it," said Carl Simons, president of Hawaiian Cement, in a statement.

Union employees at Hawaiian Cement and Ameron Hawaii, O'ahu's two largest concrete companies, have been on strike since early February, idling hundreds of construction workers and stalling dozens of projects. The employees' share of medical insurance costs has been the key barrier to ending the strike at both companies.

Hawaiian Cement's offer came the day after the Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996 negotiators, who represent workers at both companies, told Ameron Hawaii that they are willing to accept a 10 percent share of medical insurance costs. Their previous stance was that Ameron employees should not pay any insurance costs.

Ameron had been demanding that its 144 union employees contribute 30 percent to healthcare plans.

The 10 percent share offer was rejected in last night's talks by Ameron, which is to make a counterproposal when talks resume at 2 p.m. tomorrow.

"Ideas are going back and forth, so we're pleased that we're still here talking," said George West, Ameron vice president.

Kahele said earlier today that Ameron and the union were not too far apart.

"We made every attempt to try to end this strike tonight," he said. "We actually moved off our position, and only because there are thousands of people out there that's been affected by this strike."

Advertiser staff writer Curtis Lum contributed to this report. Reach Dan Nakaso at 525-8085 or at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.