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 ...
Exactly. Card check MUST be stopped.
If card check passes, Mercury and other companies that want to move to non-union plants won't be able to b/c they'll just be unionized in the new location.
This will force untold number of businesses to close down for good. But, hey, that's what Obummer and his fascist friends want-- to kill capitalism and destroy the middle class for good..
Exactly. Card check MUST be stopped.
If card check passes, Mercury and other companies that want to move to non-union plants won't be able to b/c they'll just be unionized in the new location.
This will force untold number of businesses to close down for good. But, hey, that's what Obummer and his fascist friends want-- to kill capitalism and destroy the middle class for good..
You’re doing fine Oklahoma, OK-LA-HO-MA, Oklahoma OK!
You wrote:
“I wonder who has put more people out of work. Obama or the unions.”
The unions. They had a 40 year head start after all.
Okie ping.
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.
I LOVE IT! Go ahead Union, strike. You will be talking of your jobs as fond memories!
Another union suicide.
If it were my son-in-law, I’d be moving him to OK.
They aren’t going to get $20 an hour on unemployment.
Besides, you just don’t sit around on your backside and collect your money. You have to do a certain amount of job searches and report in every 2 weeks and you can be audited at any time. If you cheat, they can demand repayment. You have to attend work conferences and jump through other hoops too.
At least that’s how it is in Texas. But then we are one of the few states in the country that is doing well.
Unfortunately, half of Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin is moving here because of it.
Union card holders ought to have STUPID tattooed on their foreheads."
Hmm... How about we put a big "U" on their forhead but make it a bit permanent.
Let's do the math. Unemployment is about 435 per week in Ohio or 1700 a month. If a machinist makes 70,000 per yearbut after cconcessions are to make 52,000 or about 40,000 after taxes. I think Unemployment is taxed too but at a lower rate due to the progressive tax code and no SSI or Medicare is taken out. So the 1700 a month is 21,000 pre tax or about 20,000 after tax.
So you get 40,000 working full time or 20,000 and you get to have a 2 year vacation. What do you choose ?
Jean, I live in WI(yes,its 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.
Thats what I remember being discussed anyway.
GO POKES!!
Going from $40k after taxes to $20k is not “making more on unemployment.”
You contradicted your earlier post where you said they would make more being unemployed.
I understand all that, and I realize that it'll be bad for a great number of people that are not in the union. Suppliers, restaurants, all sorts of folks. What I was questioning is the actual tally of the votes - given that the union counted the votes, I think that might raise some doubt as to the accuracy of the "overwhelmingness" of the outcome.
Sadly, we see this in democrat states and yet, people still vote for these idiots.
No you get 435 per week or about 11 dollars an hour based on a 40 hour work week. Plus, you do not pay SSI or medicare taxes (I think you still pay income taxes but unless you have lots of investment income which bumps you up into a high tax bracket, those are nearly zero at 11 dollars an hour).
Ok, 20 per hr is better than 11, but you don't have to work either. Oh and you may also qualify for food stamps in addition to unemployment.
Does that count as going Galt?
/johnny
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