By Mike Boyer
Enquirer staff writer

The union representing hourly employees at Hamilton's Smart Papers LLC has filed suit in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati accusing the papermaker of violating its labor agreement.

PACE Local 5-1967, which represents about 400 employees at the Hamilton mill, wants a court order enforcing an arbitration award issued in April.

The decision by arbitrator Michael Paolucci said the company should pay an additional 28 cents an hour to a handful of workers classified as "roll packaging specialists.''

Ron Schweitzer, president of the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers local, said binding arbitration was one of the key issues the union wanted to gain when it went on strike for two weeks in 2002.

"This is the first arbitration we've won since the strike, and the company doesn't want to abide by the rules,'' he said.

The union, which has a contract running through June 19, 2006, is asking the court to enforce the arbitrator's decision, including the additional pay, which amounts to a few hundred dollars for about half a dozen current or retired workers and pay legal costs.

Dan Maheu, chief operating officer for Smart Papers, said the company views the dispute as a contract issue and won't comment.

When the company sold its all-purpose litho paper line earlier this year, the union says it reduced the wage rate for some workers by 10 cents an hour, maintaining their workload was lightened.

But William Rumpler, a 31-year employee who filed the grievance, said he believes it is in retaliation for pursuing the arbitration.

In his April 22 award, arbitrator Paolucci partially supported the union's contention that elimination of the job of assistant packaging specialist under the contract required the packaging specialist, who prepares paper rolls for shipment, to work harder and faster. The union sought a 50-cent-an-hour increase, but the arbitrator said 28 cents an hour was justified.

Privately held Smart Papers acquired the former Champion International paper plant from International Paper in 2001.

E-mail mboyer@enquirer.com