Teamsters Union Has Harsh Words for New Era Cap

On Monday, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters told the New Era Cap Company that its plans to lay off 35 workers from its Mobile, Alabama distribution center immediately after Thanksgiving is "cruel", and is just a brutal scare tactic to retaliate against their choosing union representation with Teamsters Local 991 last July.

At present, the workers are engaged in their first contract negotiations since they joined the Teamsters.

15 of those laid off are to be called back, but the other 20 layoffs are permanent. The initial layoffs represent 35% of the workforce at the center.

The holiday layoff is unprecedented in New Era's history and the Teamsters are calling it very suspicious and probably more than mere coincidence. New Era has been under fire from local religious and citizens rights groups and journalists for alleged mistreatment of many of its employees.

"New Era's workers in Mobile joined the Teamsters...because they want to improve their poverty-level pay and end the racial discrimination they face every day...Clearly New Era has no commitment to negotiating a fair contract. The company continues to try to exploit and intimidate workers. Now they're taking money out of workers' pockets at the holiday season," said Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa.

"How do you as a parent explain to your child that their Thanksgiving dinner may be limited? How do you tell your kids that they may not have a Christmas at all, because you no longer have a job?" said Felicia Walker, a union leader and former Mobile plant worker who was terminated during the union organizing campaign.

Accusations against the family-owned business by employees include unsafe working conditions, racism, and unjustly low wages. New Era Cap maintains that business has been slow and with expenses going up at holiday time the layoffs are unfortunate but necessary for the company to stay in business.

However, critics of labor unions, especially powerful ones such as the Teamsters, allege that unions engage in unfair labor practices and extortion through using carefully-researched anti-business propaganda campaigns designed to shame companies into giving in to often unaffordable demands or even force-out non-unionized employees.

Allegations include that unions often target corporate pension fund management companies to pressure them into putting forth shareholder resolutions at shareholder meetings in order for the unions to get their way.

The view of George Washington University political scientist Jarol Manheim is that this type of ideological targeting of businesses by union groups, which is truly made on sentimental and not sound financial or workplace environment grounds, took root in the 1960s by way of the radical left-wing organization Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Manheim is considered an expert in the tactics and history of corporate campaigning.

Original Newswire Source:
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