Union fight getting ‘dirty,' workers say

http://www.mtairynews.com/articles/2008/04/12/news/local_news/local04.txt

Published: Friday, April 11, 2008 8:55 PM CDT
Tom Joyce

Staff Reporter

Management efforts to keep a union out of a Mount Airy manufacturing plant have become “dirty” with the firing of workers actively involved in the unionization effort, sources say.

Several employees of Insteel Industries Inc., including one man with 30 years' service, were terminated about two weeks ago, according to two insiders who spoke only on condition of anonymity over fears of possible retaliation from management. The reason the affected workers were given for the permanent layoff was the effect of the continuing economic slowdown on a company considered an industry leader in wire-products manufacturing.

However, sources say Insteel is having to employ temporary help to meet its production workload and apparently violated the personnel policy in its own handbook by terminating individuals with long records of service instead of opting to cut less-experienced people.

In shutting down a machine that was manned by the workers who were terminated, one source believes that the company sacrificed the entire unit simply to be rid of its members who actively supporting the union.

“They're playing dirty, I think,” said the veteran employee, who added that the laid-off group had orders to work on at the time, which have had to be absorbed by other personnel in the plant.

He said of the loss of those co-workers: “I think it sent a message to the rest of the plant that ‘we (management officials) are in charge and it's going to be our way.'”

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