Kohler workers reject offer, OK first union strike at company since 1983

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Journal Sentinel

By Rick Romell

Union workers struck Kohler Co. on Sunday after overwhelmingly rejecting what the firm had called its "last, best and final offer."

The strike – the first at the company since 1983 – was declared after paper-ballot voting by an estimated 1,800 United Auto Workers members attending a meeting at Sheboygan South High School.

Ninety-four percent voted down the Kohler proposal, Tim Tayloe, president of UAW Local 833, told cheering workers after the ballots were tallied.

Local 833 represents about 2,100 employees at the company's huge plumbing-ware factory in the Village of Kohler and at a generator plant north of Sheboygan.

FULL story at link. Video #1: http://bcove.me/mhfiz2y0 Video #2: http://bcove.me/lby4s10h

http://media.jrn.com/images/315*217/b99616487z.1_20151115154702_000_gb9dbuh5.2-1.jpg
Kohler workers picket after voting to go on strike

Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/business/kohler-workers-appear-to-reject-offer-setting-up-first-union-strike-since-1983-b99616441z1-349915121.html

[littlewolf]

1. Mich is a right to work state.

people will be replaced …

[AngryAmish]

3. If you want to get technical, Kohler and Sheboygan are in Wisconsin.

But only if you want to be technical.

It is known Sheboygan bratwurst is the state dish of Michigan.

State Motto of Michigan: We look like a mitten, but always have room for a brat inside.

[7962]

2. From the look of the offer, this is not a smart move.

"The company has said its contract offer would have raised pay for the lower tier by more than 20% immediately, and by 40 cents an hour in each of the second and third years of the agreement. A Kohler spokesman has said the proposal would raise the average wage in the lower tier above $17 an hour."

Sounds a lot better than what I've seen from other companies.

[Massacure]

5. The fact that there are two tiers seems to be the biggest issue though

One of the passages from the article reads, "Particularly objectionable, he said, is the two-tier wage scale. If that were scrapped, as Local 833 proposed to do over six years, "this (contract) would pass easily, maybe even 100%," Koene said."

[mtasselin]

4. surprised

I will be totally surprised if they don't bring scabs in right away, this company is very right wing and Wisconsin's senator johnson is somehow married into the kohler family.