Union Revotes… Sort Of

This is reaching comic levels.  It’s a shame that the consequences are so dire.

Late Saturday night, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Lodge 1947 announced there would be a second vote on the contract proposal that was scheduled to expire at midnight. Voting began at the union hall in Fond du Lac shortly after 10 p.m., was expected to last until midnight and continue on Sunday until 6 p.m.

But early Sunday morning, union officials said a Mercury Marine executive told them the company would not accept any ballots cast after midnight.

Thus, the polls will not be open Sunday as announced earlier, said Dan Longsine, the union’s chief negotiator.

Ballots cast Saturday night will probably be voided, Longsine said. The union had wanted to continue voting on Sunday, thus giving members adequate opportunity to cast their ballots.

In a statement released at 2:15 a.m. Sunday, Mercury said:

“The IAM conducted a last-minute vote on the original proposal terms and conditions but did not complete the process to a definitive conclusion prior to the expiration of the proposal. As a result, Mercury said it will continue to operate the Fond du Lac facility under the terms and conditions of the existing contract, which expires in 2012. Manufacturing workers in Fond du Lac are represented by the IAM, Local chapter 1947. As previously announced, the company will now begin the transition planning process to its Stillwater, Okla., facility.”

The union had ALL FRIGGIN’ WEEK.  They voted last Sunday.  Then they were surprised when the company refuses to change the offer - even though the company had made it clear that it was a best and final offer.  Then the union said they couldn’t re-vote on the same proposal.  Then they said that they wanted to reopen negotiation.  Then, at the last minute, they decided that they could, after all, re-vote on the same proposal, but did it too late to get the vote done before the deadline for the offer passed.  As with last week, the company was perfectly clear that they weren’t going to move the deadline. 

The union leadership seems to be utterly incompetent.  Did they not learn their lesson after last Sunday that the normal BS gamesmanship that they used in previous contract negotiations wouldn’t apply here?  If I were in this union - even if I supported the stance on the contract - I’d be seriously questioning my leadership.