- Nov 12, 2006
- 5,334
- Boat Info
- 1999 Sea Ray 330DA
Twin 7.4 MPI (310 propshaft HP) V-drives
- Engines
- Twin Mercury Marine marinized 7.4L L-29 V8s
Cast iron block w 4-bolt mains
I decided to see if I could find some facts on what this is all about with Mercury and the Union. Here's what I found.
The 850 International Association of Machinist’s union members at Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac Wisconsin are resisting employer demands for cuts mid-contract. On Sunday, they overwhelmingly voted to reject wage and benefits concessions. Mercury Marine is threatening to move production to a non-union Oklahoma plant. The company just signed a new four year contract with the union a year ago, but it wants out of the agreement. Mercury Marine wants lower wages for new hires and cuts in pension benefits. Mercury Marine is the largest maker of boat engines in the world.
Seems they have a current contract and Merc wants to re-negotiate it. Any one want to take a wild guess at what these machinist make an hour? No wonder they voted NO.
Ken
A lot of people have taken cuts. These guys are working in an industry that is barely alive. They might not want to take a cut, but I don't think it's a reasonable position considering the state of the boat building industry. Oh well. If they don't want to work for a few bucks less, there probably are some guys in Oklahoma willing to do the work.
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