The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) won yesterday what could be the largest back pay sum awarded by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) since the agency was created by the Wagner Act sixty-seven years ago. The administrative law judge (ALJ) in the case decided that company Kaiser Aluminum had committed unfair labor practices during a twenty-month strike that began in September of 1998, and was followed by company demands for what the ALJ considered unreasonable concessions from the union. Kaiser, which locked out the striking workers after they agreed to return and has since filed for bankruptcy, plans to appeal the ruling to the full board of the NLRB.
See "Kaiser Aluminum's Lockout Leads to Record Back-Pay Award", STEVEN GREENHOUSE, The New York Times, May 14, 2002