Machinists, Painters Strike Western Star Plant in Oregon

[kscarbel]

Transport Topics / July 2, 2013

Members of machinists and painters unions began picketing the Western Star manufacturing plant in Portland, Oregon on Monday after employees voted to reject a proposed three-year contract that had been recommended by management and union leadership.

Members of the Teamsters and Service Employees International unions approved their proposals but are also manning picket lines in support of the machinists and painters, said Joe Kear, a business representative for the District W24 Lodge of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

As of Tuesday, no talks were taking place between labor and management, Kear said.

Western Star is a unit of Daimler Trucks North America, which is also the parent company of Freightliner Trucks. Through May 31, Western Star’s U.S. retail sales were up 38.6% year-over-year, to 1,326 units.

“The Western Star Truck Manufacturing Plant unions did not unanimously ratify the contract offer extended by Daimler Trucks North America on June 28. DTNA considers the union negotiations process to be a confidential matter between the parties and has no further comment at this time,” the company said.

Kear said machinists rejected the contract because there has been a four-year wage freeze and increases in productivity of more than 20%, so they wanted more in wages and fringe benefits.

[Red Horse]

Hmnn! These guys should take a trip to Cortland NY. I would have to believe that there is a faction within Daimler that is saying..."make my day".

When the union leadership recommends ratification and the rank and file turn it down, not a good sign

[paul roncetti]

Correct Red Horse, They have no idea we are in a recession bordering on a depression so they think everybody in this country has a high paying job and are working. Plus the big thing is they have never had to meet a payroll and don't have a clue to what it's all about.

[kscarbel]

The workers at Macungie wanted to make concessions so that on-highway production would remain in Allentown and not shift to Winnsboro, South Carolina. However, the union ignored the very people they represent and fought Mack Trucks, resulting in a lose-lose for all parties.

[rsb502]

Wow they sold 1,336 trucks, hmm Daimler would never drop such a profitable in demand product offering to make room for more market share with their other brands............can anyone say Sterling? and they sold three times the truck Western Star does a year. Oh well I see another Twinkie situation developing here!

[220cummins]

Sounds like more "militant" members are amongst the rank and file. Not a good sign.

[kscarbel]

The workers at Macungie wanted to make concessions so that on-highway production would remain in Allentown and not shift to Winnsboro, South Carolina. However, the union ignored the very people they represent and fought Mack Trucks, resulting in a lose-lose for all parties.

The Philadelphia Inquirer / February 04, 1987

A Mack Trucks spokesman said the Allentown United Auto Workers membership had approved a new contract despite opposition from the international in Detroit.

William McCullough, Mack vice president for corporate affairs, told United Press International yesterday that members of UAW Local 677 had approved, in a vote Saturday, the terms of a January 18th agreement between local union officials and Mack.

The Allentown local, locked in a dispute with the union's international Detroit office, imposed a news blackout Monday on the progress of its talks with Detroit officials. The international, whose approval of contract terms is a required part of the ratification process, opposes the January 18th agreement because of wage and benefit concessions it contends are unprecedented.

Before Saturday's vote, Local 677 officials had endorsed the tentative 6-year agreement with Mack Trucks primarily because of guarantees by the company that it would not close operations in the Lehigh Valley during the life of the contract.

Mack also had promised job offers at a new truck plant in Winnsboro, S.C. to at least 600 Local 677 members who are laid off or facing loss of their jobs.

But within a week after the terms of the tentative January 18th agreement were released, the international indicated it would oppose the contract no matter how Local 677 members voted.

Local 677 has called its disagreement with the international a "family" matter and even declined to provide some details about the dispute to Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey, who went to Allentown on Sunday to try to bring the parties closer.

Casey also met with Mack chairman John B. Curcio.

Robert Grotevant, a spokesman for Governor Casey, said one of the international's primary objections focused on Mack's refusal to give the UAW an open door for organizing workers at the new South Carolina plant. Wages at that plant are expected to be significantly lower than those at the Mack plant in Macungie, Pennsylvania.