07.12.2011

Manitowoc takes temporary workers

Manitowoc Cranes has begun employing temporary workers as part of its strike contingency plan, following a strike by the International Association of Machinists, which has since caused the layoff of some other employees – members of the boilermaker’s union - due to bottlenecks caused by the absent machinists.

The move will allow 37 members of the boilermakers union to return to work over this week and next.

Larry Weyers, executive vice president-Americas said yesterday that that the first 12 laid-off Boilermakers will be back on Thursday and the next 25 on Monday. This leaves 119 Boilermakers still on lay-off.
see original report 16th November

The dispute is purely about a clause from the previous contract that expired in October that obliges those benefiting from any agreement to join the union, Manitowoc has left it out of the new contract in order to give its employees freedom of choice. The new contract is relatively generous in terms of pay, with an eight percent increase over four years with two percent increases annually.

A letter from Weyers, states: “Payment of (union) dues would no longer be required when working at Manitowoc Cranes and the company would no longer be required to terminate employees if their choice is not to pay dues. The company’s proposal would protect all ‘opt out’ employees from any form of retaliation.”

Union representative Ben Elizondo said: “The company refuses to take out the union busting language -referring to the ‘Freedom of Choice’ provisions in the contract. “That is where we are hung up … it is not about money.”