BWI Company Monitor

September 29, 2011:  Prior to the election in July many workers even pro union supporters were too scared to come forward and tell their stories.  Others were too brave and because they could not be protected from discharge under US law the union did not tell their stories.  With the election victory this has changed many things enabling more stories of the conditions inside Danville to be reported

In January 2010, a print line operator was injured because a lead worker turned on the machine while the print operators fingers were still in it as he was cleaning it.  His fingers were caught and crushed.  As his fingers continued to swell and turn color he was taken into the supervisors office and asked to sign his discipline papers BEFORE they would take him to the Primary Care medical facility.  He asked how he was to sign since his writing hand was the hand that was injured and it was now swelled to the point that he could not use it even to sign his name.  The Supervisor told him to sign with his other hand which he did in order to get medical treatment.

He was disciplined for being injured when the root cause was that his lead worker turned on the machine without checking. 

We had already reported that a worker in July had passed out from the heat inside his department and was transported off site for medical care.  He left the operation on a stretcher.  We can now confirm that he too was given a point for leaving work early.

Last summer, the Band and Board Department was sent home early.  The Supervisor failed to do the proper paperwork and every worker in the Department was given a 1/2 point for leaving work early even though they were ordered to do so by the Supervisor. 

According to the Swedwood Co Worker Handbook:  “An employee who accumulates 2 more additional points (9 points total) during a rolling twelve month period will be terminated.”

Every time you miss because of being sick you get a point even with a doctors slip.  If your children are sick you get a point.  If your car breaks down you get a point.  Now we know if your told to go home or carried out on a stretcher or get injured on the job you get a point too.

September 23:  Today Swedwood refused to allow the union to have free communications with its members on bulletin boards in Swedwood plant in Danville.  By restricting free speech Swedwood has again interfered into the internal  operations of the union.  It is clear from these types of behaviors that Swedwood is not serious about building a partnership or engaging in genunine social dialogue with the union

Swedwood Follows Anti-Union law firm advise and Refuses to Bargain Changes

September 7:  The second week of an investigation at Swedwood by the National Labor Relations Board began today with additional interviews.  The Board is investigating whether or not Swedwood violated US law by: refusing to bargain changes put in place since the election, threatening union supporters following the election, and denying workers access to shop stewards during a disciplinary meeting.

It is rare that the Board actually issues charges because proving violations is very difficult.  The most common outcome is for the situation to result in a “he said” and “she said” scenario.  One party describes one set of behaviors and the other a different set of behaviors of the same situation.  This is evidence of the ineffectiveness of U.S. labour laws. 

However, what may be different this time is that since workers now have some protections because they are part of the Machinists Union, more of the workers may be willing to take the risk of telling the truth.  Even so it is still very scary to testify before the Board Agent and know that your employer will learn that you told the truth.  Sometimes it appears that even when the truth is told, it is not enough.

Swedwood has recently changed the line speed on the Pack line in order to speed up production.  U.S. law clearly states that all changes in working conditions must be bargained.  Instead of notifying the union it claims that since it used to change the line speed before the election it can change the line speed after the election.  It remains to be seen if the Board will recognize the difference between line speed changes that resulted from increased staffing and line speed changes that do not arise from increased staff.

The situation also applies to temporary workers.  Prior to the election Swedwood announced very publicly that they were ending their policy of using temporary workers.  Yet after the election they immediately resumed using temporary workers.  This is another change that should be bargained.

The fact that Swedwood’s anti-union attorney is advising Swedwood not to bargain these changes instead of respecting the election results and talking to the union is troubling.  The law firm is advising Swedwood to try to get away with everything they can. This suggests that bargaining will be very difficult and that Swedwood has no intention of honoring or respecting the wish of its workers to be represented by the IAMAW.  In every case the IAMAW has notified of Swedwood management of its desire to bargain the changes and in every case Swedwood’s anti union attorney has responded that they refuse.