Merrill Manufacturing continues to stonewall negotiations and prolong the strike that began at their central Wisconsin facility on March 24, 2010.
After almost six months without a paycheck, members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) Local 2362 need your support now more than ever. Even if you aren’t in a position to make a financial donation, sending a letter will show the company that the entire labor movement stands behind these men and women.
Please take action at the IAMAW website:
http://www.goiam.org/merrill.php#form
"Merrill Manufacturing has refused to bargain fairly and insists on demands that go well beyond what the company needs to get through the recession," said lAMAW District W3 Business Rep. Brian Jarvensivu. "Pat Taylor, Merrill's president, has said publicly that he wants to negotiate a settlement. We've invited him repeatedly to attend negotiating sessions, but he has never bothered to come to the table to talk to us. It's part of what we believe is a pattern of bad faith bargaining by Merrill."
During negotiations leading up to the strike, Merrill's owners demanded drastic pay cuts, changes to medical insurance and other concessions to get them through the economic downturn. Union members agreed to reductions in pay and other changes to help the company, but asked for the right to reopen negotiations after one year if the company recovered sooner than expected. Merrill refused.
lAMAW has filed unfair labor practice charges, claiming that while the lAMAW and Merrill were in the final stages of negotiations in March 2010, Merrill demanded additional changes, didn't respond to a subsequent proposal, and then imposed the company's final offer on employees, which precipitated the strike.
On July 28th, lAMAW indicated through a federal mediator that it was willing to modify some of its positions to reach a settlement. But as it has throughout the strike, Merrill refused to modify any of its outrageous proposals.
After that meeting between the lAMAW and Merrill, members of Local 2362 voted overwhelmingly on July 30 to continue the strike and their fight for a fair settlement.
"Our members have shown great courage and determination against an employer who is determined to break their spirit," said Jarvensivu. "At every turn, the company has refused to consider reasonable alternatives to their unfair demands. We are ready to negotiate a fair settlement, but is Merrill Manufacturing?"
The single, most important thing that you can do to stand with the Merrill Manufacturing strikers is to send a letter on their behalf. Again, that can be done simply through the IAMAW website: http://www.goiam.org/merrill.php#form
Donations to support the strikers and their families are also greatly appreciated, and can be sent to:
IAMAW District W3
718 Grand Ave.
Schofield, WI 54478
“This small group of workers isn’t just fighting for their own survival. The way that the company is leveraging the general economic downturn to force huge, permanent concessions has implications for every working person,” said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby. “These workers weren’t making a living wage to begin with, and they have already accepted huge pay cuts and increases in health care costs. I urge every union member in the state to write a letter and send the message that this injustice stops here.”
Click here to read a previous Wisconsin State AFL-CIO blog story about this struggle.
(All pictures taken at the Merrill Labor Day Parade. Photo Credit: Brian Jarvensivu.)
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