USW Local 2-232

formerly PACE 7-232

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

Membership Meeting 

Sunday July 26, 2009

Frank Monreal's El Matador

9155 W. Bluemound Rd. Milwaukee 

9:30a.m.

  Members are urged to Attend this Meeting.

Very Disappointing

By Scott Godshaw

In 1998, the Union and the Company sat down and together agreed on the Pilot Program. The catch phrase then was, " If we do nothing…".

We did do something; we attempted to bring jobs in at a lower rate to off set the devastational job loss that had continued throughout the years.

The Model 19 Assembly Line was technically the only guaranteed work that would come back at that point, however, the Model 9 horizontal Assembly Line was an example of possible work that could return to Milwaukee. That carrot that was hanging there, even though not promised, made the Pilot Program a lucrative proposal to keep our people working. The Model 9 horizontal Line returned in July 1999 and once again was assembled with the utmost efficiency and quality as all of our engines built in Milwaukee.

To have the Model 9 horizontal Assembly Line pulled from us now is not only very disappointing but criminal.

To the powers that be, that made this decision, they should be ashamed of themselves. Union and management people alike, worked hard together, hand in hand, to make this a successful engine. Once again, even though we worked together with this Company, the commitment to Milwaukee is lacking. This is again extremely VERY DISAPPOINTING!