Mercury Marine union considers do over vote

[boomerbust]

Source: jsonline.com

Mercury Marine union considers do-over vote
By Rick Barrett of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Aug. 27, 2009 7:10 a.m.

Some union employees at Mercury Marine Inc. are asking about having a second vote on a labor contract they rejected Sunday.

Dan Longsine, chief negotiator for the 850 plant employees at the Fond du Lac company, said he was inquiring about whether union rules would allow another vote on the same contract that was just rejected.

The national rules of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers may require several changes in the proposed labor contract before another vote can be taken.

That's not necessarily the case, said union spokesman Michael King, but it's unlikely that the union would call for another vote on the identical contract that workers turned down by a wide margin.

Regardless, Mercury Marine's contract proposal expires Saturday at midnight. The company has said it doesn't plan to change the terms of the deal, which included 30% wage reductions for new hires and employees called back to work from layoff.

As the result of Sunday's union vote, the outboard-engine manufacturer says it is in the process of moving work to its plant in Stillwater, Okla., a non-union facility.


Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/55368642.html

[AndyA]

1. This is a lose-lose deal no matter how it works out.

If the deal is made to stay in Wisconsin, the Oklahoma facility closes, and all the workers there lose their jobs. They're already closing a facility in Tulsa, OK, and everyone there is out of jobs as of November 1, 2009.

No matter what happens, people will lose their jobs. :(

[boomerbust]

2. AndyA

I didnt know the situation in Ok. was that critical. Interesting

[AndyA]

3. I know someone who's losing their job at the Tulsa facility.

Mercury Marine is a HUGE employer in Stillwater. It will devastate that community if they close, and there will be a HUGE FACILITY sitting empty.

They built Corvette engines there at one time not all that long ago, not sure if they still do or not.

[Dying Eagle]

4. its just as bad for Fond du lac

Mec is pretty much the ONLY manufacturer in FDL. Wisconsin has lost too many manufacturing jobs to let this happen.