Gunite workers end year still on picket line

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.rrstar.com/homepage/x1151536153

Dec 31, 2007 @ 06:11 PM
By Alex Gary
BusinessRockford.com
ROCKFORD -

Six weeks ago, Jeff Wubben of Freeport and Charles Mathis and Ignacio Maynes of Rockford barely knew each other, except for occasional hellos at the Gunite Corp. foundry.


EDDY MONTVILLE | RRSTAR.COM
Locked-out employee Jeff Wubben of Freeport tends the fire Dec. 31, 2007, at the entrance to Gunite Corp. on Peoples Avenue in Rockford. United Auto Workers members have been locked out since Nov. 18, 2007.


Now the trio is pretty tight, thanks to the 45-day lockout at Rockford’s longest continuously running business. They are part of a rotation of workers picketing the century-old Peoples Avenue plant around the clock. Their set times are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and 11 p.m. Thursdays to 5 a.m. Fridays.

They were there New Year’s Eve, too, right on schedule.

Used to working 60 hours a week because they said the plant was severely understaffed, they stood around trying to find things to talk about and to stay warm.

“Today’s big subject is firewood,” Maynes said Monday. He had been working at the plant for three months when Gunite Corp. parent Accuride ordered the United Auto Workers Local 718 locked out Nov. 18, saying union officials wouldn’t allow a vote on the company’s final contract offer. “We just have a little bit left, and we’re trying to figure out where to get more.”

Of course, when they aren’t picketing, the three have even more time on their hands than they are used to.


FULL story at link.