By Angela Hatton
Metropolis, IL – The latest meeting between Metropolis United Steel Workers and Honeywell plant officials ended early today without any progress toward an agreement. Negotiators had been scheduled to meet tomorrow, but those talks have been cancelled. The two sides have not set new bargaining dates, though the parties will likely meet in January. Honeywell spokesman Peter Dalpe says the talks broke down because the two sides do not agree on which base contract to work from. Local 7-669 President Darrell Lillie agrees, and says the union wants to use the original contract as a basis, while the company proposes a new contract with more productivity requirements. Union workers from Honeywell's nuclear fuel plant have been without a contract for nearly six months.