USW Workers on Strike. Photo Credit: Casey Hudek
Share
Blaine, Minn. – About 220 members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 63B are on strike over Carley Foundry’s unfair labor practices. The strike began on Saturday morning. Carley Foundry supplies parts for customers in the aerospace industry and others.
Stacey Andersen is the staff representative for the striking workers and stated over email that,
Rather than negotiate in good faith for a fair contract, the company has proposed and demanded concessions that would cost workers money and undermine the security of our union. Management needs to stop committing unfair labor practices, return to the table to resolve the outstanding issues and end the dispute so that our members can return to the work that they do best
USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez said that Carley management’s scheme to divide the members of Local 63B by proposing a lower wage tier for new employees and other economic and contract language changes has instead united them in solidarity.
Carley has broken federal labor laws in its drive to force workers to accept its unfair and unnecessarily concessionary proposals, and we are standing up to demand the fair contract USW members have earned,” Ramirez said. “As one, we will deliver the message to management that our work has dignity and we deserve the company’s respect.
Ramirez said that USW members are proud of their work and rank among the most productive and efficient manufacturing workforces in the world.
Such loyalty and dedication should be rewarded with more secure jobs, earnings and benefits, but Carley has proposed the opposite and insists that its employees accept it,” Ramirez said. “We urge management to return to negotiations at once and bargain in good faith for a fair contract to end the labor dispute and return our brothers and sisters to work as soon as possible.
The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply, and energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations.
A representative from Carly Foundry could not be reached for comment.