Posted on 08/23/2009 3:10:52 PM PDT by Indy Pendance
FOND DU LAC, Wis. – Union workers at Mercury Marine put their jobs at risk Sunday when they rejected a package of wage and benefit concessions the boat engine maker said it needed or it would move their work to a nonunion plant in Oklahoma.
Union leaders did not immediately release Sunday's tally but said the vote was "overwhelming" to reject what the company called its final offer.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 1947, represents 850 workers at Mercury Marine, the largest employer in the eastern Wisconsin city of Fond du Lac and the world's largest manufacturer of boat and recreational marine engines.
Mercury Marine issued a statement after the vote saying it will move many of its Fond du Lac manufacturing operations to its facility in Stillwater, Okla., over the next two to three years. The company said it would continue to operate the Fond du Lac facility for now under the terms and conditions of the existing contract, which expires in 2012.
"This has been a very difficult and stressful process for all involved," Mark Schwabero, president of Mercury Marine, said in a statement. "We will work closely with our team in Fond du Lac to develop and communicate a transition plan for this 24-36 month process."
Mercury Marine spokesman Steve Fleming had said last week that if the offer was rejected, the union and company could resume talks and hold another vote this coming Saturday, but its offer would not change.
Local 1947 President Mark Zillges said Friday there would be no further negotiations. He did not immediately return a phone call Sunday seeking comment.
Fond du Lac city manager Thomas Herre called the vote "a huge disappointment."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
SCOTT WALKER FOR GOVERNOR!!
I’m totally for Scott Walker! Walker/Ryan or Ryan/Walker 2016! That other idiot needs to bail. He needs to battle Feingold.
Interestingly, A FReeper posted just recently that he would be moving his marine business out of Wisconsin to Oklahoma. I guess he wasn’t kidding.
BuBye......
The Janesville GM plant is no more. I grew up 20 miles from there. My best friend’s parents worked there. Anyone who worked there had it made. Seems like over the years, they had it made just a little too good, and put the employer right out of business. The union killed the auto industry. I never thought I’d consider buying anything but an American vehicle. Now, I’m not so sure. Next time, it’ll be something not made by the UAW. I’ll not support a union thug again.
Union screw another coupla thousand workers.
It’s the Chicago Way.
Remind me to NOT buy a Mercury Marine engine. I suspect they will have many problems on the assembly line in the near future.
These idiots are pinning their hopes on “Card Check” being passed.
I applaud this vote. It will mean less union dues funding the Democrat party.
Yamaha makes some damn fine marine motors. He’ll they make damn fine everything they’re involved in making.
Personally, I can’t wait to get myself a new Yamaha FJR motorcycle.
Sweet ride!
“So many of the rank and file are blind to the reality of our economic plight.
My president of my local was just telling me how great the Cash for Clunker program is and how this will turn the tide.
When I pointed out that 60% of the “clunkers” were american brands, and 70% of the cars sold were Hondas and Toyotas, he called me “one of those rightwing nutjobs”.”
See, you confused him with facts.
Jean, I live in WI(yes,it’s not easy) and I listen to a lot of local talk radio. I believe I heard that our lame governor Doyle has in his last budget (or wanted to have it there) a provision that says:
Wisconsin businesses who also have locations out of WI, will be liable to pay tax to WI, on profits made outside of WI. This is even though these businesses will have paid taxes in those out of state locations too.
That’s what I remember being discussed anyway.
So, he’s dumping this on us and not running for relection.
I’m on Scott Walkers’s team, I pray that he can fix this mess.
Good! I would rather see them in OK that WI. WI too many libs.
They’re not lost, they just moved to OK.
“The union people will wish they voted the other way soon.”
Since a population of “union people” is largely a population of knowingly commie or unwitting commie, and since they very deliberately destroyed their own financial future, they must now live with the consequences of their decisions.
One must wonder, though - How long does it take to teach a union person to say “Fries with your burger, Sir?” with a smile?
I think Walker is a winner. He’s gotten elected in Milwaukee county, and that says a lot. Mark Belling predicted that Doyle’s latest budget was so overboard because he would either resign after the budget was passed, or he would not run for re-election. Mark was right again. Doyle threw every leftist dream he had into that budget and got most of it. He’ll go off to a life of luxury and leave us all with the bills. His raiding of the Transportation Fund (twice!) was nearly criminal. We pay our car registrations, to a “trust” even, and he robbed it to take care of the public school unions.
Scott can win and I support him fully!
SC would be great. I would apply for about anything I was remotely qualified for.
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