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 ...
Loss for Wis. job pick up for Oklahoma.
Well, “being affected” and “losing jobs” are related but not quite the same thing, really.
Good picture of the fat cats of the union. It appears they have a lot in common.
I wanted to see Sarah in Cedarburg so badly! I tried to see as many of her televised speeches as possible. Her convention speech was so inspiring. Sensenbrenner is wonderful. Glenn Grothman I have heard on occassion, probably on Belling’s show, and LeMahieu is new to me, never heard of him (or her).
regarding post 233, please read post 203
I will repeat,
I am very close to being incorrect when I said “if the concessions required are deep enough, you will probably make more on unemployment than working”.
That statement is likely to be wrong in almost all circumstances except if you also get food stamps and you are required to pay union dues and health deductions which is possible.
AGAIN, MY STATEMENT IS ALMOST ALWAYS GOING TO BE INCORRECT EXCEPT IN MOST UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH PROBABLY DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS CASE.
I am going to stand by my statement that you are still likely to be chump if you work when you can collect unemployment, food stamps and medicaid instead.
I went to the union site and found that they had a lot to say about those nasty right wingers.
http://www.iam1947.org/action.htm
Bears repeating. A new economic CW?
Toyota has done very well in TX, in San Antone.
This is why I haved never joined a union nor do I plan to. They do nothing but destroy whatever they touch.
Belling and McKenna should both be accessible through the radio station’s website. Belling has live streaming audio(3 to 6pm central), not sure if McKenna does(10 to noon central). You can try emailing them with questions, but I have not received replies from either. Vicki is more likely to reply. The Call letters WISN, 1130AM and Milwaukee should yield their website on a web search.
I get Chicago’s WLS sometimes. Also get Chicago area’s AM1160 late at night with religious programming. I have many relatives in the Chicago area.
The Cheddar Curtain! LOL. Our cheese is outstanding. It does not make up for the liberals though!
Hey!... Welcome to OK Mercury!... we could use the help here in Ponca City... NICE Real big lakes to play with.
Believe it. They do the same thing with income tax. When I moved from another state to Wisconsin, I had to pay taxes in both states.
They still have a plant, but it’s smaller than what it used to be. I think it physically went down by about 33%. They tore down two huge factory buildings, and for awhile it was dead land, and now a Lowes and an Office MAx are there.
several callers from Fond du Lac to Milwaukee talk shows said that they thought the vote would be for the contract based on the coworkers they knew.
I lived in Kenosha for several years. I listen to chicago radio more—better reception, but in car I do listen to WISN. I have emailed back and forth with McKenna—this is type of thing that gets her going....which is why I think she is absolutely wonderful—she doesn’t hold any punches back. Oh and yes, love WI cheese btw :)
Maybe if several of us email both McKenna and Belling, they will address this. I heard Doyle is not running again, so WI has an opp. to break free from the socialist ball and chain that has been the reign of Doyle.
For just the year you moved or every year since?
Wow, not sure they stoop to that in SRC—Socialist Republic of Chicago...
I like Vicki and have heard her show out of Madison for many years. I am glad she is on WISN too. I like her tenacity, like a pitbull with a gun. She was wonderful in helping organize the April 15th tax revolt in Madison. I am sure she’ll still remember the most egregious details of Doyle’s budget.
So has Mercedes, Honda and Hyundai in Alabama.
And BMW in South Carolina?
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