About 160 Red Cross workers, members of Communications Workers of America Local 13000, prepared for an unfair labor practice strike against Johnstown-based American Red Cross Greater Alleghenies Regions. As of 12:01 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007, workers will likely be off the job, despite their efforts to negotiate a fair contract.

“It’s extremely unfortunate that the Red Cross has caused this strike,” said Marge Krueger, administrative assistant to the CWA District 13 Vice President. “CWA members have been working hard to reach a fair agreement, but the Red Cross has refused to provide the information on health care costs that we need to bargain intelligently. That’s not bargaining in good faith.”

“It’s ironic that the Red Cross, which relies on our members to help monitor and maintain quality health care for residents throughout the five- state area, thinks it’s fine to attack the health care coverage of the workers who provide such vital services,” Krueger added.

The workers staff bloodmobiles and blood banks in counties across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia. Efforts to reach a new contract have stalled over the agency’s demands to shift substantial health care costs to workers and its refusal to supply CWA with the information it requested concerning health care costs.

“We care about our communities and the people who depend on us,” Krueger said. “We’ve been trying to reach a fair agreement with Red Cross management and have requested information that could help reach a settlement. But management isn’t willing to cooperate. That has to change.”

Krueger said some plans that Red Cross management has floated would have workers paying a deductible, plus 10 to 15 percent of their hospital bills — on top of a high deductible and a 20 percent co-pay for the premium under some management proposals.

Source: Communications Workers of America