USW Local 2-232

formerly PACE 7-232

Representing  employees at Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Strattec Security Corp. in Milwaukee, WI

President's Report

Several Challenges at Strattec; Daywork wages continue to be issue at Briggs & Stratton

Strattec

          While the vote is over at the Strattec Division to spin off and form their own local, as a Union, we must keep up the enthusiasm and interest. We face several challenges ahead of us. With Strattec’s management moving at a slow pace to resolve outstanding grievances and not willing to try to resolve grievances where they know people were treated unfairly, we face many challenges ahead. While our Contract at Strattec does not expire until May 31, 2001, it almost appears that the Company is dragging their feet on some of the old grievances, hoping to deal with them in negotiations. This is a ploy; I personally do not approve of. Elsewhere at Strattec, my experience has been that we have certain pockets of members who feel that they are being taken advantage of and not being recognized and compensated for the work that they do. The Union has tried to set up some meetings with the Company in these areas to resolve some of these issues.

Briggs & Stratton

          Production seems to be steady, at least at the time of the writing of this article. While L-5 will drop from a 750 production level to 450 on June 19, 2000, L-1 will be going up on the same date. The production level will be 725-750 on 1st shift, requiring about 45 assemblers, plus the supporting dayworkers. In L-5 a voluntary will be posted for the number of people being reduced. Any of the employees from L-5 that do not take the voluntary and are laid off involuntary would fall into the pool of assemblers to be recalled to L-1. That recall will be done by seniority.

Daywork System

          The Union has received many inquiries about our Daywork System, in particular, from our skilled trades. The Union has met approximately three times with the Company regarding this problem. The last time being December of 1999. We have continued to ask the Company to meet with us and discuss the possible restructuring of our Daywork System. The response we have been given is that the okay has to come from upper management. While waiting for a prolonged period from the Company, the Union, with the approval of membership at the May meeting, has contacted the School for Workers in Madison for some assistance. We are waiting for a response for the time and cost for them to come here and meet with the Union at our office.