Mercury Marine Refuses Second Contract Vote; Moves forward with plan to move jobs to non-union plant

Source: Workers Independent News

A second contract vote proposed by workers at Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin has been rejected by the company. As a result the company will move forward with plans to move 850 jobs currently held by union workers out of Fond du Lac to a non-union facility in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Workers had previously rejected the contract offer and on Saturday employees gave the International Association of Machinists a petition that asked for a second opportunity to vote on the rejected contract. However, the company refused the offer. The contract had called for a seven-year wage freeze and a pay cut of 30 percent for new hires and employees who return from being laid off. Oklahoma offered to cover the company’s moving costs if it would bring the jobs to the state. Union representatives said they believed Mercury Marine would have moved the jobs no matter the outcome of the vote. The company will slowly move the jobs over the next 36 months and during that time will make a decision on the future of the white collar jobs at the company’s headquarters also currently located in the city.

Read more: http://www.laborradio.org/node/11845

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this is called the gutting of the northern america , to the south , just wait tell they get done and then hit the southerns with a low wage package they won't even beable to live on , with out the unions they will be back to being the slaves they once owned

These people would be making 11 bucks an hour for the next seven years? Let these union busting slugs move to Ok. where they belong.

... unions are a dying breed. They WILL die because no unionized company in any industry can compete with a non-union company in the same industry. They CAN'T COMPETE.

The boating industry is fighting for mere survival. As far as I am concerned, the country is lucky the jobs are staying in the US.

I'm as disgusted by the stratification of wages in this country as anyone, but I'm pretty sure unions are not the answer. They will only be the answer when everyone is in a union and I don't see that happening.

I like to fish but do not own a boat for the 4 to 6 times a year I go out on a boat it is cheap er to hire a guide and his boat then to store, buy, run, and maintain a boat. But the margin is shrinking fast, a lot of good used boats are being sold because people can't afford their toys anymore.

That's like saying that Jim Crow laws shouldn't have been overturned because lower wages for African American workers are better than none. Unions most certainly are the answer - like weekends? Thank the unions.

Considering the #'s of jobs lost during the last 2 years, this was no small feat.

Why is it Europe has mostly union workers and can compete around the globe? The average vacation time is 5-6 weeks a year etc.

UPS vs FEDEX (post below) is a perfect example. UPS is well run, makes money, and has mostly union workers. FEDEX is still trying to catch them even though they don't have a unionized workforce.

Everyone could be in a union IF they want. EFCA would make it much easier.

PASS EFCA after health care is passed.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124804725157963745.html

By ALEX ROTH

FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. are intensifying a dispute over proposed legislation that could upset the balance of power in the package-delivery business by making it easier to unionize FedEx.

UPS is hoping Democratic control of Congress and the White House will enable it to win support for a bill that would place some of FedEx's drivers and other employees under the National Labor Relations Act, the same law that governs UPS. FedEx drivers are currently governed by a separate federal law that makes unionizing more difficult.

The House passed a version of the bill, called the FAA Reauthorization Act, in May. But a Senate version of that same bill doesn't contain a provision that would change FedEx's current labor status.

The chief executives of both companies have met with senators in recent months and have doubled or tripled their lobbying expenditures over the past year and a half. In June, FedEx unveiled a Web site criticizing UPS, whose workers are organized by the Teamsters, for its support of the bill. FedEx also has said the bill would put it at a competitive disadvantage and, as a result, has threatened to postpone buying billions of dollars in new planes from Boeing Co. if the bill becomes law.

FULL story at link.

yamaha engine on the back of boat these days. This comes as no surprise. :(

My dad bought a new 90hp Mercury outboard cause the 20 year old Evenrude stopped taking in water and overheated in no time. I do like that v8 outboard engine Yamaha makes!

I used to fish up in the Northeast, but now am down by the gulf. Not sure if it accounts for the types of engines I'm seeing. One thing is for sure, I can't believe the HP's these people are putting on small boats.

ANd Mercury is going to find that quality control is a big problem after a few years of trying to train stupid people to assemble their products.

But give them a bit of credit. They could have hired smarter people at even less cost by moving their operations offshore. But they didn't. So that's something, right?

it will be that long before the economy shifts.....I agree that they were leaving for the the non union jobs elsewhere even if they union agreed to this trap of a contract.

supplier award for a couple of years. you just simplify the steps of assembly until a 4 grader could do it, pay them 10 bucks an hour and everything is all good.

and yes I'm in oklahoma.

Favor me. Are unionized workers just naturally smarter, or does the mere act of joining a union imbue one with greater intelligence?

But I don't need to tell you that do I. You've already done it.

Sometimes the truth bites you in the ass before you realize it's happened dude.

BTW, is this you at the Obama health care town hall?

and Oklahoman ones are particularly stupid.

And I'll put my signature up against "Nonunion laborers are STUPID" any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

Only the inboard stern drives were made in Fond du Lac WI.

boaters to afford these hugely expensive outboard motors. Check the price on these motors. Golden egg laying goose time, once again.

essentially.

its all been stacked against the workers.


doyle's already trying to secure a federal commerce job and wouldn't give two shits about the workers of his state.

the republicans are already using this a PR move to boost idiots like Paul Ryan "free trade" credit.

Its like they are living in an alternate universe

doyle is getting out while the getting is good, rumor has it he is headed to the peace corps.-- he would never be re-elected.

Oklahoma wants to use my tax dollars to help bust a union. Pisses me off to no end :grr: