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 ...
Parker Pen, has/had a plant in Janesville for years. They are shutting it down and moving it’s mfg to Mexico. Some employees will relocate. Others will lose jobs.
This was just announced yesterday throughout the industry.
Congradulations, union jerks. You’ve successfully killed Fond du Lac.
Twits.
He's not worried. He'll still get paid until he gets his union pension. Even after the Locals members are long gone, they'll spend the locals funds till it's gone, and take a share of the locals assets (buildings etc.) when it is sold.
Why would anyone vote themselves out of a job? Are people this brain dead?????
Ping!
I’m really happy this is good news for OK. Wisconsin doesn’t deserve it.
Poor judgment on their part, Allows too much time for sabotage.
Only Directive 10-289 can save us now!!!!
hh
No kidding!
Brain dead is a compliment.
This is beyond brain dead.
But typical for losers in unions.
Never argue with an idiot (especially using facts), they'll take you down to their level then beat you with experience.
if I didn't only have 2 payments left on my F150, Ida turned it in as a clunker and bought a Tundra..but my truck runs like a champ, looks dang good and is too good a vehicle to turn in (plus I get the payment back in pocket in a couple of months)..
We here in OK have been pushing for ‘Right to Work’ for years and still haven’t passed it.
It appears the Union was not looking out for it’s members. Fancy that.
One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.
We moved to Fond Du Lac Wisconsin for three years in 1975. At that time MerMarine had been on strike for a long time. If I remember correctly there had been a murder, and those who crossed the line had their homes targeted and their families threatened.
This was the first time I had seen union thugs up close and personal and did not like it one bit. At that time the union almost killed Merc Marine and it took years for Fond Du Lac to recover economically.
Not feeling comfortable in that kind of environment we left and came back to Colorado before our daughter was born.
This formed my opinion that Unions hurt more workers than they could ever help and couldn’t care less about the town, the people in the town, the company they work for or their future. They are socialists bent on self-destruction.
Well, that union’s busted. ...need to reserve more revenues for the NEA and other government employees (”women’s jobs”). And after Oklahoma, the next site will be China, of course! Drive on! We’re not buying. See ya.
They might be better off moving all of their manufacturing overseas. The unions will just chase them to Oklahoma or any where else they go... and if card check goes through expect every plant to go union.
America is not a good place to do business as a manufacturer.
The level of blind obedience and union loyalty is breathtaking.
Union members have to be the most brain dead people in the world.
you better apologize to brain dead people everywhere for the comparison to union members..:)
Galt’s Gulch is going to have to be freakin’ HUGH to fit everyone that will want to be there!
Let’s get Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee to secede.
Don’t leave those of us in /georgia out...You’ll need the big airline....and me of course :)
I remember that, I was a teen then, but that affected a LOT of people back then.
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