AGREEMENT REACHED Century Aluminum And Retirees Reach Agreement In Health Benefits Battle
Reported by: Kristin Keeling
Videographer: Matt Durrett
Web Producer: Kristin Keeling
Reported: Mar. 1, 2012 7:11 PM EST
Updated: Mar. 1, 2012 7:20 PM EST
EYEWITNESS ONLINE WEBCAST VIDEO C L I C K T O P L A Y
Ravenswood
, Jackson County
, West Virginia
In 2009, Century Aluminum shut it's doors, putting 650 people out of work. Then retirees lost something they say was promised to them. Something they say they gave blood, sweat and tears for.
"We've been fighting for so long. And I think I'm just kind of shocked that we actually pulled it off," said Karen Gorrell of Ravenswood.
It's been a long battle for Century Aluminum's retirees. Larry Williams worked there for 38 years and says being denied healthcare was a slap in the face.
"The fact was, we paid for this stuff too. All down through the years we gave concessions in order to keep our health insurance, and it was pretty hard not," said Williams.
Wednesday, everything changed when Century Aluminum, it's workers and retirees reached an agreement. That brought retirees one step closer to where they want to be.
Some details still need to be ironed out. But after years of fighting for what they say was promised to them, the retirees say they only wanted what was right and the deal is what they've been waiting for.
"There's been a lot of hurt and a lot of pain. But we're good people and we can put it behind us," said Gorrell.
"A lot of these guys I've seen around, I didn't really know them. And we've come awful close and we may not be able to part now," said Wiliams.
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Kristin Keeling
