Waste Company Locks Out Teamsters in Bid to Eliminate Pensions

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http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/13204/republic_teamsters_lockout_evansville_indiana_pension_allied_waste/

Following private sector trend, Republic Services/Allied Waste insists on 401(k) plans

At 9 p.m. Tuesday night, the country’s second-largest waste disposal company locked 79 workers out of their jobs. The day before, Republic Services/Allied Waste gave the Evansville, Ind., workers an ultimatum: accept management’s “last, best and final” offer, or be locked out of work. The union, Teamsters Local 215, blames the lockout on management’s insistence on permanently eliminating workers’ pensions.

"It's a kind of extraordinary move in labor relations to lock workers out unilaterally," says Louis Malizia, assistant director of the Teamsters Capital Strategies Department. "So there could be a return to work—the company need only open the gates and then let workers continue to work while they try to resolve issues at the bargaining table."

Republic Services did not respond to a request for comment, but in an interview with an NBC affiliate, local general manager Mark McKune blamed the conflict on the union’s rhetoric: “When threats of war were made across the table at the company, the company felt it was necessary to take this step.” Republic has a contract with the city of Evansville to collect trash and recycling. McKune told the Evansville Courier & Press that with replacement workers filling in for locked-out Teamsters, customers were experiencing only “minimal service disruptions.”

Local 215 represents Republic’s Evansville drivers, mechanics and landfill staff. Republic and the Teamsters entered negotiations on a new contract in March. In April, a 25-day extension on their current contract expired, and Republic began training other employees to do the work of the Evansville Teamsters. Tuesday night, Republic exercised its legal right to lock out the workers—denying them any work until they reach a deal acceptable to management.