Employees at Northwestern Mutual are standing up against the company’s efforts to outsource their jobs and employ temporary agency workers, despite an agreement with the city to keep jobs in Milwaukee.
“The public needs to know Northwestern Mutual has broken its agreement to create and keep good jobs in Milwaukee,” said Local 35 President Alesha Monk. “The company is trying to force the union to allow them to outsource or subcontract jobs to cities outside of Milwaukee and even Wisconsin, despite the fact they received a whopping $50 million tax incentive to keep jobs here in the city when they were building their corporate headquarters. They’re also employing hundreds of temporary agency workers with no benefits and no prospect of permanent employment instead of employing permanent union employees.
“Northwestern Mutual’s goal is to outsource and continue to use temporary agency workers instead of permanent employees until there are no jobs left in Milwaukee. This could happen unless we all stand up and demand that the company provide its hardworking employees with the job security and respect they deserve.”
WHO: Members of OPEIU Local 35 employed at Northwestern Mutual
WHAT: Informational leafletting
WHERE: Northwestern Mutual Headquarters
800 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202
WHEN: Tuesday, March 13 – Thursday, March 15
8-10 am and 4-6 pm
WHY: Several months of contract negotiations between OPEIU Local 35 and Northwestern Mutual have stalled as the company continues to insist on the right to outsource work, despite its pledge to create and keep good-paying jobs in Milwaukee in exchange for a $50 million tax incentive.
OPEIU Local 35 represents approximately 1,000 professional clerical and maintenance workers at Northwestern Mutual who’ve been working without a contract since February 28.
ABOUT OPEIU
The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) represents more than 103,000 members in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. OPEIU represents employees and independent contractors in administrative offices, credit unions, hospitals and medical clinics, insurance, higher education, transportation, shipping, utilities, hotels and more. Professional organizations and Guilds affiliated with OPEIU are a diverse group that includes podiatrists, clinical social workers, teachers, Minor League Baseball umpires, and helicopter pilots.
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