Dear Mr. Bougie:

I write to bring to your attention a matter of concern to members of our local union here in Kingston. Our union has represented the production workers at the Kingston plant for the past 55 years. As you are certainly aware our location at Kingston Works has undergone significant change in the past 15 years through numerous down sizing affecting more than 80% of our union membership.

Some of our members worked here in Kingston for many years before being laid off and in due time terminated. Some have been rehired in the last 2 years. An example is one of my members worked here for 20 years before being laid off and severed from Alcan. He was rehired 2 years ago however he cannot apply the previous 20 years to his Alcan service. He will never be able to achieve that 25-year milestone without recognition of his prior service with Alcan.

In discussions with Bert Walsh, Kingston Works Manager we have been informed that the previous service cannot be applied towards overall company service in terms of company recognition of long service. We feel this is an injustice to those long serving employees. We are not asking for an added union benefit just recognition for these long serving employees so they will be recognized as such at their 25-year milestone.

Mr. Bougie I urge to look at this situation from our view and intervene and recognize the lengthy service that our members and your employees are proud of. We believe long service is just that weather it is broken by sometimes-unwanted gaps in employment or not.

Yours truly,

Peter J. Boyle,
President, Local Union 343

cc: Bert Walsh, Works Manager Kingston.
James Stewart, Area Coordinator, U.S.W.A.