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 ...
The Union Label coming through again. Good for Mercury. Move where you are wanted and won’t be taken for granted.
I would only hope that every business would leave a liberal state for a conservative one like Mercury Marine has done.
http://www.iam1947.org/news.htm
Better not let those laid-off workers lapse their union dues! Break some knee-caps.
They should raise taxes.
That’ll fix it. :)
Bookmark for later
LeMahieu won Grothman’s rep seat back when Mary Panzer (RINO) lost her senate seat to Grothman. LeMahieu (a he) is a solid conservative.
Too true, union jobs usually are like military or gubmint jobs. Broken down to the simplest common denominator.
Yes they will.
I have found folks in Oklahoma to be some of the nicest and hardest working folks in the country.
Sounds like Diebold and Canton. Ohio.
Diebold the banking company was headquartered in Canton.
They went on strike in the middle of their contract they went on strike.
The company negotiated a deal that said no strikes during the contract and if they did the company would pull out.
A few short months later the stupids went on strike.
Diebold pulled out and moved its manufacturing to Mexico.
How many manufacturing jobs were lost? And $25.00 plus jobs in Canton Ohio do not fall from the trees.
Can Florida join up?
bookmark
yes no unions here. come tu georgia
yes no unions here. come tu georgia
“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.”
This is not the same FReeper then, but Last Dakotan posted that he had moved out of Wisconsin 15 years ago.
“I took my family, manufacturing company, and future out of Wisconsin 15 years ago for this and economic reasons. It is a decision I have never regretted.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2317293/posts?page=1#1
Arizona has always been a right to work state. It makes a big difference. The unions keep trying to make an inway here but the people are too smart to allow it. The only unions that thrive here are the government unions.
Please add Georgia to that list.
The question is will 0 let them leave?
That’s a good idea and this story it proof that it’ll work. All the producers will move here.
Luckily for Mercury Marine they have pockets deep enough to move to a more free enterprise respecting state.
I’m betting this will be much better for the company in the long term.
Union pukes.
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