Workers share in $41 million award from beer distributor lawsuit

[Bozita]

Source: Detroit Free Press

POSTED: 4:52 P.M. NOV. 17, 2009
Workers share in $41 million award from beer distributor lawsuit
BY TODD SPANGLER
FREE PRESS WASHINGTON STAFF


WASHINGTON -- A case of bad-faith bargaining between five southeastern Michigan beer distributors and their union employees has finally concluded more than a decade after it started with Teamsters workers for the companies sharing in a payment of $41 million – one of the biggest back pay awards the National Labor Relations Board has ever made.

-snip-

The NLRB said in a news release Tuesday that the case revolved around five companies – Don Lee Distributors Inc. in Sterling Heights, Powers Distributing Co. in Orion, Eastown Distributors Co. in Highland Park, Oak Distributing Co. in Flint and Hubert – and an illegal pact they made for negotiating with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1038.

After a period of negotiations, each employer would declare an impasse and impose a new contract with what the NLRB described as “substantially lower income and reduced benefits for employees, particularly the drivers.”

“They had a plan, basically, the bust the union,” said Radulski. “They said, basically, ‘Fight us in court.’”

-snip-

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20091117/NEWS05/91117058/1319/Workers-share-in-41-million-award-from-beer-distributor-lawsuit

[Omaha Steve]

1. K&R for organized labor!

Thank you for posting this!

OS

[Sherman A1]

2. Excellent!

Good News indeed.

[Joe Chi Minh]

3. K&R

[Sancho]

4. Luv it!

:dem:

[Doremus]

5. More than a decade to get justice.

A system that allows such a debacle is an outrage.