YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Workers at Vallourec get a boost of support from their colleagues from France, where the company has its headquarters.

A national union in France says workers at plants in their country, Germany, England, Mexico, and Brazil all have job security through a contract and union representation. They tell us the only workers not represented by a union are in America.
 
A delegation of French workers are in Youngstown supporting workers who are trying to organize the union.

Christian Pilichowski says there is no two tiered systems in France. Pilichowski says there is no reason an employee doing the same job earns less money, adding they have the same needs, and food, and everything else costs the same for those workers.

The representative of the union says, "Americans should not be treated like second class citizens." Pilichowski said, "There is one company, one CEO, and workers throughout the company should be treated the same."
　
According to workers at plants in France, they negotiated for five weeks of paid vacation and 11 paid holidays. They also get paid double time for working on Sundays.

According to workers at the Vallourec Star plant, Sunday is considered a regular day now and that time and a half was taken away. 

In addition the workers in France, who have union representation, say bonuses are transparent with workers knowing how they are calculated, unlike in America where workers don't and the company can make changes when they want.
 
 Karen Hardin an international representative with United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, or UE, says a union contract is a legally binding agreement between a company and workers that is enforceable in a court of law. She adds all wage rates such as the Sunday premium, bonuses, such as the matrix, health insurance, retirement benefits, vacation and holiday time, hours of work, etc. are spelled out and cannot be changed during the life of a contract.  Hardin adds management must have a valid reason for terminating an employee. 

Hardin said, "The workers from France, have their bonuses locked in their contract, while the workers here locally can get zero, zero, and zero, until a push to form a union takes place, then the company decides to pay them a bonus."

The UE believes the announcement of expansion timed the week of the vote is also not a coincidence.
 
Bill Allen who works at Vallourec Star says he does not believe that joining a union would stop Vallourec from building a multi-million dollar plant that will move the company forward.

Allen says it's not fair that workers doing the same job don't have a chance to get to parity, and make less. Other employees say about one year after Vallourec bought the company it froze workers pensions, then abolished pensions for new hires and put new hires in a 401-K. 

Meanwhile, some workers were outside the plant with signs saying, "vote no." Those employees fear organizing will impact the company's bottom line, and possibly lead to a loss of jobs. They don't want a union to represent them.

Tony Tatgenhorst, who has worked for Vallourec for seven years, says there are a lot of people who are glad to have a job here, and believe they are being treated fairly. Tatgenhorst and the others here say they don't need a third party representation to jeopardize their jobs, or to speak for them.

Vallourec released a statement saying for about one year now the United Electrical Radio, and Machine Workers Union has been trying to organize employees in Youngstown. The release says the company recognizes employees on both sides of the issue have been passionate about their views, and they are expressing their opinions in a variety of ways.

The company says it has complied with all legal obligations. 

The President of Vallourec Star says while we support the right of employees to choose whether they wish to organize a union, we do not believe this would add value, foster teamwork or add to the competitiveness of the company. 

Vallourec Star LP is a leading producer of seamless pipe, tubular product, and coupling stock for the oil and gas industry. Vallourec Star has operated a pipe mill in Youngstown, Ohio for the past 11 years. The site currently employees approximately 820 employees.
 
About 19,000 workers around the globe or 82 percent of Vallourec's workforce world wide is represented by union. The union says the company has spent thousands of dollars on a campaign to try and defeat a Yes vote.

Workers will get an opportunity to vote on the issue January 21, 22, and 23.