IAM District 10, Local 1947 members in Fond du lac, WI won an $850,000 back settlement recently. Our members were made whole on their Mercury Marine payroll checks dated June 28, 2013.
(Left to Right: GVP Philip J. Gruber, BR Don Griffin, and DBR Russ Krings)
After a long bitter contract negotiations at Mercury Marine in 2009, the Company decided to change the âpaid lunchâ language eligibility requirements. Leaving them with sole discretion on who to pay for lunch break and eliminating a 40 year old past practice.
In early 2010, The Union filed several grievances claiming the Company had violated a past practice on how this practice had been applied.
On July 16, 2012 the Unionâs grievance went before an arbitrator. The arbitrator ruled in favor of the Union. His ruling was that the Company violated the contract when it ignored a long standing and well established past practice which clearly defined the interpretation and intent of the âPaid lunch â contract language.
IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Philip J. Gruber proudly said, "A special thanks goes out to the Union Coordinator, Plant Chairmen, Negotiators, Stewards and the Local Lodge Officers who fought long and hard representing our members rights and entitlements under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. We sincerely appreciate the hard work and dedication of Directing Business Represenatative Russ Krings and Business Represenative Don Griffin. Another job well done by all".