Strikes drag on; no end in sight
CNN reports: “Striking Tyson workers reject latest offer “
The union for 470 workers who have been on strike against Tyson Foods’ Jefferson plant for almost 11 months rejected the company’s latest contract offer Sunday.
The workers, who walked out February 28 over wage and benefit concessions demanded by the company, voted 242-74 not to take the offer. . . .
Workers say health and pension issues still remain as sticking points, and the contract offer doesn’t guarantee some jobs [hello . . . who has guaranteed jobs these days?] and doesn’t allow all striking workers to return at once. . . .
The strike was in reaction to a Tyson contract proposal seeking a four-year wage freeze, creation of a lower-level wage scale for new workers, the elimination of the profit-sharing plan, cuts in vacation, sick leave and pension benefits and a bigger bill for less comprehensive health care coverage. . . .
Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson hired replacement workers to continue production at the plant . . .
And here’s another instance of people choosing not to work in a buyer’s market for labor (showing complete lack of understanding of the concept of “bargaining power” that’s fundamental to collective bargaining):
New York Times (Reuters) reports: Calif. Supermarket Labor Talks Break Down
Four days of secret talks between the union representing 70,000 striking southern California grocery workers and several big supermarket chains broke down on Sunday as the strike entered its fourth month, union officials said. . . .
Supermarket workers have been under mounting financial pressure, with local unions slashing pickets’ pay by as much as 50 percent in recent weeks, and most workers losing health benefits as of Jan. 1.
UFCW spokeswoman Ellen Anreder said pickets who were being paid between $100 to $300 a week by their local unions have had those sums cut by 25 to 50 percent over the last several weeks. She denied reports that the pay was slashed because the local unions were running out of money.
“We’re receiving strong indications that this is going to go on for a while so we’re being conscious of our budgets,” [why do this if you've got plenty of money?] Anreder said, insisting the reductions would not weaken the strike. . . .
