No Agreement, Lockout Continues

BRIDGEPORT, WV — As a company-imposed lockout finished its second day today, there was no agreement in the first post-lockout bargaining between Dominion Transmission and Dominion Hope and the United Gas Workers Union Local 69.

The union tonight released an update on today’s negotiations. It said the union made a proposal to Dominion but it was rejected. The release said a federal mediator held “extensive discussions with both sides but no agreement was reached and members will continue to be locked out until further notice.”

According to the union leadership, the two sides agreed that “neither side walked away from the table the possibility of further negotiations exists and communication lines are open going forth.”

Dominion is reported using supervisory personnel to keep its facilities open while the lockout is in place; it began at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday. Workers from the UGWU have gathered outside Dominion’s main gate at its Leidy facility since the start of the lockout. Some 900 Dominion workers are affected by the contract impasse, including some 50 to 60 in the Renovo/Tamarack area.