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Steelworkers Launch Radio Ads Supporting RMI Workers
NILES, Ohio -- The United Steelworkers of America has called in air support to lobby on behalf of the 365 workers locked out of their jobs at RMI Titanium nearly a year.The Steelworkers announced today it has launched a week-long radio advertising campaign in support of the members of Local 2155 and 2155-7, who have been locked out of the plant since Oct. 26, 2003.The 60-second advertisement features the voice of Steelworkers President Leo Gerard and will run during morning and afternoon peak hours on AM 570 WKBN and country-music station FM 105.1 WQXK.In the advertisement's voice-over, Gerard declares: "This reckless lockout is about greed -- about power-hungry bosses determined to bust a local union that cares about its members. It's about a company inflicting needless suffering on families and businesses that depend on the paychecks of these workers."Gerard criticizes executives at RMI's parent company, RTI International Metals, for collecting "exorbitant salaries and bonuses" while demanding millions of dollars in concessions from union members."As long as I'm president of this union, nobody is going to walk over our members -- in Niles, Ohio, or anywhere else," Gerard says.The ad started running on Sept. 11 in conjunction with Gerard's appearance as grand marshal of the 14th annual Niles Labor Community Parade. The spots will conclude Sept. 16."