Posted at 1:57 a.m., Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Cement worker talks resume tonight
Advertiser Staff
Negotiations between Hawaiian Cement and the Hawaii Teamsters Allied Workers, Local 996, broke off early this morning with no contract agreement.
If no settlement is reached, about 20 union employees are expected to walk off their jobs just after midnight, potentially devastating the state's booming construction industry.
Hawaiian Cement and union officials began meeting at 7 p.m. yesterday and at one point teamsters leader Mel Kahele said he believes they could agree on a contract last night. But at 1:30 a.m., the talks broke off and an angry Mike Coad, Hawaiian Cement vice president and lead negotiator, slammed a folder on a file cabinet.
However, Coad and Kahele said they have made progress and were hopeful that a settlement could be reached. The two sides are scheduled to return to the bargaining table at 9 tonight at Hawaiian Cement's Campbell Industrial Park office.
