New Year Seems Brighter
For Local 684 at TEMCO
ERIE, Pa.
Christmas celebrations for UE Local 684 members at The Electric Materials Co. (TEMCO) had a special kind of joyousness
this past holiday season. Union leaders unjustly fired or laid off were back on the job, the result of a decision by an administrative law
judge issued Nov. 1.
And to sweeten that sense of justice, on the Friday before Christmas, UE Intl. Rep. Deb Gornall distributed
back-pay checks issued by the company to Ron Lane, Mike Doyle, and Crystal Pratt. All together, TEMCO has paid out
some $200,000 to workers harmed by its anti-union actions.
TEMCO decided not to appeal the judges decision and instead reached a settlement of outstanding unfair labor practice
charges with the union. The union also resolved a number of unfair labor practices alleged against the company since the trial but not
filed with the National Labor Relations Board. These negotiations resulted in the return of six union activists who had been laid off in
September. These included first-shift Chief Steward Dale Wilkinson.
Among others who received checks are Harry Barlow, Dave Trowbridge and Bill Hubbard, who had been
victimized by unilateral or discriminatory treatment by the company.
COOPERATION
The company and union have agreed to biweekly "operational meetings" between management and the Local 684
committee and Intl. Rep. Gornall. At two meetings the union succeeded in convincing the company to alter its layoff procedures.
New members have signed up in the union in recent weeks.
TEMCO workers voted to be represented by UE in December 1999. More than 60 bargaining sessions failed to achieve a first
contract as TEMCO continued an anti-union campaign which saw workers victimized for support of their union. The companys illegal
conduct led to a lengthy trial and the decision late last year by the Labor Board judge.
As this issue of the UE NEWS went to press, bargaining for a first contract was scheduled to resume on Feb. 4.
UE News - 1/03
