684 Members Confident of
Justice — and First Contract
TEMCO Trial Resumes
ERIE, Pa.
The trial of The Electric Materials Co. (TEMCO) for numerous
violations of federal labor law resumed Oct. 22. With two weeks of trial
completed, UE Local 684 members remain confident that their employer will be
brought to justice — and a first contract.
The union scored a significant victory when the administrative
law judge rejected TEMCO’s attempt to have part of the case against it
dismissed.
In the meantime, the company, the union and counsels for the
General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board have reached a
settlement on allegations that TEMCO delayed providing UE with information
necessary for bargaining and for processing of grievances. (On Aug. 28,
2001 company lawyers presented UE Intl. Rep. Debra Gornall with at least
one document that she first requested in December 1999.) As part of
that settlement, TEMCO agreed to complete other longstanding information
requests by Sept. 14, and to post a notice in the plant for 60 days
acknowledging its delays and pledging to comply with the union’s request for
relevant information.
TRIAL BEGAN JULY 9th
The trial before an NLRB administrative law judge began July
9, prompted by a complaint issued by the Regional Director for NLRB Region
Six. The complaint included more than 50 allegations that TEMCO has denied
workers their rights under law. The allegations of unlawful conduct by TEMCO
include:
-
Firing of an employee because of his outspoken
support for the union.
-
Disciplining of several employees because of their
union activity.
-
Management disregard for grievances.
-
Multiple unilateral changes in the terms and
conditions of employment.
-
Bad-faith bargaining at the table.
During the first week of the trial approximately 25 witnesses,
all TEMCO workers, took the stand to speak the truth about their employer’s
unionbusting. "Our members made an impressive group," says UE
attorney Joanne Koslofsky. "They handled themselves in an incredibly
dignified way, and I felt proud to be associated with them."
SECOND WEEK: AUGUST 27th
The second week, beginning Aug. 27, saw testimony by UE
District Six Pres. John Lambiase, the union’s lead negotiator with TEMCO,
and Intl. Rep. Gornall. Gornall used a number of charts, which she had spent
long hours preparing, to illustrate the very lengthy process involved in
obtaining from the company information necessary for bargaining. Counsel for
the General Counsel (of the Labor Board) then called Plant Manager Ronald
Alcorn to the stand as custodian of the company’s records. To the company’s
chagrin, Alcorn inadvertently corroborated the testimony by union members
regarding certain unilateral changes implemented without giving the union
notice and an opportunity to bargain.
The second week of trial concluded following testimony by the
employer’s witnesses regarding events leading up to the firing of Ron Lane.
UE News - 10/01 - Web
