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Mercury Marine Union Starts Process to CYA

The Union is obviously trying to rescue itself from the bad press of its poor decision.

The union representing Mercury Marine Inc. employees has called for a new round of labor negotiations with the company, rather than a second vote this weekend on a proposed contract.

[...]

“These workers and this community deserve more than a rushed process with an artificial deadline that failed to deliver a solution that worked for everyone,” Philip Gruber, an IAM Midwest territory vice president, said Friday in a statement.

“We are prepared to meet anytime, anywhere with this company to create a proposal that fairly addresses the needs of this company and the future of this community,” Gruber said.

The company has already made it clear that they have had all of the negotiations they are going to have.  This is merely an effort by the union leadership to try to redirect blame to the company.  They can go to their “brothers” and say, “see!?!?  We said we wanted to negotiate but the evil capitalist company REFUSED!  The UNION is looking out for you!” 

But notice that even as they allegedly try to spark new negotiations, they can’t help but demonize the people with whom they want to negotiate.

“The presence of a company-imposed deadline and last-minute changes are what doomed their proposal to failure,” Gruber said. “We owe it to everyone involved, this company, its workers and this community to allow such decisions to be made without a gun held to their heads.”

And, of course, it’s all a lie as the union hasn’t actually offered to open negotiations.  They have simply told their members that they have. 

Friday, company officials said the union had not yet told them it wanted further discussions.

“We still haven’t heard from the union as to whether they’re going to allow a second vote,” said company spokesman Steve Fleming.

Like I said, this isn’t about seriously coming back to the table.  It’s about the union trying to fix their PR mess so that it doesn’t hurt union membership elsewhere. 

I feel bad for the 30% of the union guys who voted for the contract and the hundreds who are now protesting their union leadership.  They are losing their jobs because the other guys voted for it.  But… that’s how unions work.

Posted by Owen at 0721 hrs
Economy + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

1. Mercury has said time and time again that they are not negotiating. I’m very sad to see Merc leaving, it will be very bad for Fondy, but if there is one silver lining, it is that this union gets exposed for what it is.

   And where is our esteemed governor? or the dept of commerce? The state makes some half-baked offer to match Oklahoma’s offer of building their plant for them?

   The mass exodus of business in this state is alarming.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 0737 hrs
   
   
   

2. Merc Marine called bullsh** on the union goonery and now the union goonery cries “Do over!” 

   If this is not a wake up call to folks that unions and their high paid goons are ruining this state and nation’s economy, I don’t know what is.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 0831 hrs
   
   
   

3. Mr. P P

   Are you sure it’s only Union jobs leaving? I don’t see non-union jobs flocking in.

   PS By the way, I was never in a Union.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 0922 hrs
   
   
   

4. A few journalistic things I’d like to see in the next MJS story on this topic. (or from Owen, Sykes or Belling)

   a) How about a profile of that Phillip Gruber that is quoted in the story.  Where does he live?  Where does he work?  How much is he paid?  Will he still have a job after Mercury moves?

   b) How was the union vote last week taken?  Was it by secret paper ballot?  Was it a show of hands?  A voice vote?  Who counted the votes?  Could a media member be there to watch them tally ballots if there was a second vote?

   I’ve heard conflicting reports of what the vote was last Sunday.  Some just said “overwhelming against” and then I’d heard different Union members this week say it was 94%, 80% and one guy said 75% against.  It sounds to me like there really wasn’t a vote, but rather the Union leaders just said we can’t pass this now, so we’ll wait a week.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 1002 hrs
   
   
   

5. Crude justice would be having the Union president, secretary, and treasurer, bargaining committee and others in this fiasco be the first ones to see their particular positions flee to Oklahoma.

   Is it possible that the top people are not even workers at Mercury?

   What are the union dues and how much do these birds get paid?

   Oh Yes ” Where the hell is the governor?”

   Come on union dissidents, Force a re vote!

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 1011 hrs
   
   
   

6. Jobs, union or non-union, do not “flock” into any of the top ten highest taxed, highest regulated, anti-business states like Wisconsin.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 1020 hrs
   
   
   

7. The vote was probably something like “scissors/paper/stone.”

   Wisconsin needs a “Right to Work” law.

   Posted by GAMazy on August 29, 2009 at 1040 hrs
   
   
   

8. These workers and this community deserve more than a rushed process with an artificial deadline that failed to deliver a solution that worked for everyone,” Philip Gruber, an IAM Midwest territory vice president, said Friday in a statement.

   Wow, is he talking about the contract with MM or medical insurance reform?  Or the stimulus package?  Wonder which way he and the union fell on those two issues….

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 1100 hrs
   
   
   

9. The union got pwned!

   Those workers organizing to do something about it are probably too late. I suggest they take a vote to throw the union out.

   Posted by Aaron on August 29, 2009 at 1117 hrs
   
   
   

10. Big case of buyers remorse here.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 1827 hrs
    
    
    

11. Aaron’s right—the only move left is de-cert by the MM workers—that is to say, tossing IAMAW out.

    But they’ll have to move fast.

    Posted by dad29 on August 29, 2009 at 1950 hrs
    
    
    

12. My husband works in FDL (not for Merc) and word is that the union got the workers rallied together last week, told them not to read the paperwork, just vote no. Brought in some motivational speaker to get them riled up and assured them the negotiations would continue, that it was a bluff. Alot of workers fell for it and are now regreting it and wanting a do-over. It also seems to be older workers vs younger workers- the older ones close to retirement getting severance packages if they leave are the ones not willing to concede.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 29, 2009 at 2153 hrs
    
    
    

13. “The state makes some half-baked offer to match Oklahoma’s offer of building their plant for them?”

    You are OK with corporate welfare and its implications?  Is building their plant for them fair to other businesses that compete with Merc?  Is this capitalism or a touch of socialism?  Is it “the ends justifies the means”?  Do Oklahoma’s taxpayer’s get a say in corporate welfare offered to Merc?  Will Merc be held to all the promises it makes to the Oklahoma’s taxpayers?

    Yes, supporting business, especially manufacturing jobs, is important and it’s great for communities, counties, and states; however, watching companies like Walmart vs. Look’s True Value, Cabelas vs. Gander Mountain, Lowes vs. Fleet Farm grab corporate welfare for often broken promises creates unfair competition at the taxpayer’s expense.

    Blame unions all you want, Adam Smith and Ayn Rand did not support tax dollar give-aways for social welfare programs or business.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 30, 2009 at 0932 hrs
    
    
    

14. JPent,

    As Owen notes in another posting OK is better w/o even lifting a finger. No, it isn’t all the fault of the Unions, but my guess is Smith & Rand would not be shocked that Mercury is leaving WI.

    Posted by Marcus Aurelius on August 30, 2009 at 2344 hrs
    
    
    

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