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 ...
In college I obtained summer employment as a machinist in a California plant. The IAM struck two time in three years. The company stated if the IAM pulled another walk-out they would close the plant and move to Illinois. The IAM struck, the plant closed, I lost a job I badly needed.
Naw! They'll just wait'll their kids starve to death and blame the company.
Upon further review, I did say that and it could be true, but is probably not. It depends on the depth of the concessions, the fringe benefits vs. medicaid, and food stamps and unemployment.
However, it is unlikely concessions would force wages below 20,000 on an after tax basis and I am likely in error for saying the above quotation.
I will stand by my other statement which is "depending on the concessions, you are probably a chump for working"
Price comes sown, quality goes up!!
With Card Check the jobs would have gone to China....
Please allow me to offer a point of view from someone who lives 30 min. from Fond du Lac. These poor morons will not be working at Wendy's. Wendy's will be closing their Fond du Lac store as NO ONE in Fond du Lac will be able to afford to eat at Wendy's. Just about every other major employer in that area has already left. Mercury was holding the town together.
Families in Oklahoma will appreciate the jobs.
Well I'm guessing black, but the only reason I'm guessing black is because back in the early 80's my dad bought a old boat with a old mercury and it was white and many people back then said it most be a really old one cause they had never seen a white one before. I know that wasn't what you were thinking but I just had to throw that into this thread.
What is happening? Yankees in Wisconcon. Lost their jobs to willing native americans in Oklahoma. But at least they did not go to China..Yet. It is a good thing Merc is not such evil Capitalist they went to China.
Thanks for the replies.
Have Belling and/or McKenna talked about this?!! This is absolutely insane.
I know they have both talked about Doyle and Mercury Marine, but since I don’t hear their shows everyday (I am south of the Cheddar Curtain in SSC—the Soviet State of Chicago), I don’t hear them daily.
Nose: meet face...
The Dealer tells Clark Griswald that he can split the $$$, and he will go out back and beat him over the head with a baseball bat. The result would be the same, only better for Clark.
Pardon me while I correct that statement, since I read the post:
"Union thugs putting yet another company in the South."
LOL!
Yeah, but the problem is those people migrate to non-Union states like VA and try to change it to what they left. Stay in Wisconsin, Mercury workers!
Looks like it’s not just the wind that’s sweeping down the Plains.
The headline and story don’t match .. headling says 8000 jobs lost; story says union represents 850 workers .. could 7K at that plant be non-union ?? Hard to imagine.
Hope those union idiots are staying in Wisconsin and aren’t allowed to transfer. Let ‘em wallow in what they’ve created for themselves.
Do you see ANYone in that picture that's less than 20% over what you might call their ideal weight?
Does this suggest a mind-set amongst them?
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