MASON CITY – A union election will soon be held at the Curries door plant in Mason City due to factors that include transient temp workers, too much overtime, and loss of benefits.
Sources tell NIT that the Boilermakers filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to hold a union election at Curries, a subsidiary of Assa Abloy. NIT is told the vote will be held July 8 and 460 employees will be eligible to vote. A simple majority of only those who choose to vote is needed in order for the union to be established. According to information passed along to NIT, the weekly dues to belong to the union would be $11.10. Results from the vote should be known immediately.
Employees are not required to become a union member even if the union is voted in. According to Iowa law, the union must represent all employees whether they are a member or not.
Curries is an industry leader in the manufacture of hollow metal doors and frames for the commercial, educational and healthcare markets. Curries and its sister company Graham employ hundreds of North Iowans.
As described to NIT, the conditions that led to the pursuit of a union for Curries employees include:
– Too much overtime. Working 6 days a week for months at a time while not being fully staffed.
– A vacation policy change that resulted in every employee losing an entire year of vacation benefits when they switched to an earn as you go vacation policy. For employees with four to five weeks of vacation that could amount to $3,500 to $4,000 each in lost benefits.
– The exploitation of temporary workers rather than hiring direct caused a lot of stress as well. Too many people were just going in and out and regular employees were getting stressed with all the training, retraining and rework.
– Some people were unhappy with the way they let some long-term employees go including Jerry Currie himself. The story goes he was out of town and was told not to return to the office. They packed up his things while he was gone and employees never saw him again.
– The working conditions took a drastic turn for the worst when they tried to implement a failed one-piece flow system. They moved nearly every piece of equipment that disrupted the product flow and created a congested and unsafe work environment.
– Because of the rise in cuts some employees have been forced to wear protective sleeves for personal protection equipment (PPE). Some areas of the plant are very hot and these sleeves raise your body temperature making you that much more uncomfortable. Most employees do not like wearing them but their opinion does not seem to matter.
– Some employees have also been upset about the rising deductibles in the insurance benefits.
“Those are at least a few of the concerns I’ve heard,” the source explained.
JUST IN, 1:30 PM SUNDAY:
85 thoughts on “Sources: Union vote to be held at Curries door plant in Mason City”
Good for Curries! I am hearing lots of talk about nurses unionizing as well. Enough is enough!
Union vote is being withdrawn.
Assa Abloy employees, please do enjoy whatever the company deigns to give/takeawayfrom you.
Was nice while it lasted.
Nice try office boy, the National Labor Relations Board has set up the time, nothing you guys can do now.
I am the union organizer that was contacted by workers at Curries to help them make positive changes. I would be more than happy to speak with Graham employees to see if forming a union can benefit you all. Email: bgodinez@boilermakers.org
LEAN MANAGEMENT TO START: Every job from management to lawn mower, needs to be reviewed and accessed. Compare each work load to pay/vacation time. Access who needs to be let go and who needs a raise. Hire good people by paying a good wage. Most companies are heavy on management and weak on workers. Get a true GM that is involved, truly involved. Bring back summer festival, parade floats and have weekly door prizes for employees, simple things like movie tickets or NW Steakhouse gift certf. Many small things build a team unity. At Curries team unity is long gone. Is Union the answer. NO. Real management is.
poop
A department at my employer is working 10 hour days, 7 days a week with 1 day guaranteed off every 2 weeks. I have heard Eaton’s in Belmond work a sh!tload of overtime also. Get it while you can because the next economic slowdown you will be lucky to get your 40 hours. The hours at Curries aren’t so bad, at least you get 1 day off per week. The union will not be able to do anything about overtime except for the pay rate. Won’t be able to do anything about the required PPEs. Won’t be able to do anything about how inefficient you think the production line is (engineers know everything even though they are never on the production floor), won’t be able to do anything about the incompetent middle management.
They WILL take your money, ask them how much the union president makes, I am sure it is not the $30-50,000 the Curries worker makes, it is many times more. Your union dues will support a political agenda the YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH and nothing you can do will stop your money from going to a political agenda that goes against your beliefs.
I would be very wary of giving a “YES” vote by signing a card.
Simple solution- add the 12 hour weekend shifts they had about 20 years ago.
I worked there a couple years ago.. It’s one of 2 things, they don’t want to fix the problem or they have the dumbest leadership on the planet.. The powers to be all busy themselves pulling the wool, fudging the numbers and in the end, doing just enough keeping the balls in the air to keep the Lords in Stockholm off their back… That place and those people are capable of turning out the numbers the Lords require, (in 40 hours I might add) Just look what the counts were 20 years ago then look at today’s, it’s a laugher!!!
They keep hiring people to fix the problem, however each one making it incrementaly worse..
A UNION WILL NOT SOLVE THIS PROABLEM… Only leadership can, and the place seams rudderless and adrift…
WELFARE REFORM will produce more workers, instead of so many able-bodied folks living off the taxpayer! Cut welfare benefits to those who can work and then Curries would have more employees to share the work load. Government makes it too easy to live off the system instead of having a real job. Welfare reform is greatly needed in this country. Winnebago has the same issues….not enough workers…folks that really should be working instead of living off of the taxpayer !
If you read up on Assa Abloy, they are constantly telling everyone that they have had record profits quarter after quarter.
Really a sad situation as Curries used to be the Place to work here in town.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
I have a feeling both sides will end up losing in the end , the workers for standing up for them selves and Assa Abloy for being just to greedy.
So glad to the people of Mason standing up to corporate greed. First the people took on Prestage and won! Now working towards Union for Curries!
Why don’t they just work Sundays till they get cought up?
Assa Abloy corperate policy does not allow people to work more then 6 days in a week. Perhaps the better question would be, why don’t they buy more equipment to up their capacity to keep up with sales?
We are getting closer to the better management – with Mr. Whitlock coming on board. Now we just need to work together to improve things for everyone involved. Well, maybe not everyone – some of the current underboss managers should definitely be replaced.
Remember that time is as valuable as money
If you can be more efficient or stop wasting time or procrastinating to the tune of five seconds in every minute, you will save 40 minutes of extra time during an eight-hour work day, that time is a priceless bonus.
Spot on Heeb, I am right there with you.
It is essential that we globally reinvent frictionless experiences and uniquely conceptualize an expanded array of internal or “organic” sources.
This will rapidiously provide access to optimal users and thereby holisticly provide access to viral mindshare.
By assertively streamlining hyper-scale infrastructures, this will intrinsically integrate orthogonal growth strategies.
And there you have it. Simple.
Absolutely. I’m 100 percent with you. Great.
I agree with Heeb. You’re spot on with your assessment, Anonymous. (Finally, some smarts on here.)
Pensions have to be funded. When they are not, guess where the shortfall comes from. Do some research and see how many pensions are coming up short because they let people retire early. Somebody has to pay for it.
Assa alloy will not let curries be union they will close it’s doors if this happen to bad we let prestage go because when curries close it doors it would be good to have a big employer with 1700 job for all unemployed curries workers could go to
U r retarded
Well the 52 hour week at the hog shit factorymight be a relief for most of them… But they might have a slight problem with the 11 bucks an hour… And the other guy is right you are a retard..
I think if you cut back their vacation, they could get more work done..
You can’t have USA citizens working at a hog plant that was designed for immigrants – that would be darn right unAmerican!
They will not move they have multiple US facilities that are unionized because of unfair treatment.
How much do you think they are paying the Globe and KIMT not to report on this? They were all over Prestege but not a peep about this.
The company, said Morrison, “did great last year, last year was probably one of their top years ever, and this year I think they’re headed for another record setter.” He says he thinks the company wanted to make sure there would be no interruptions of work this year. “They didn’t want a fight.”
The human resources director and asked if the union committee could meet earlier than usual. The company said it wanted to do things differently this year, skip the weeks of presentations and back-and-forth, and make a serious offer, said Morrison. “It kind of knocked us out of our seats,” that the company didn’t come after the medical plan. The union counter-proposed on wages and fought to make the temps regular employees with benefits in six months. “They took it. We were surprised at that too.”
“When I was able to stand up in front of the members and tell them, ‘They didn’t touch your medical,’ they were applauding,” Morrison continued. “And then when I told them, ‘Not only did they not touch it, but you won’t pay one brown penny more for the next three years,’ they fell off their chairs. There was a big round of applause, people’s mouths dropped open. When they heard the rest of the agreement, they were ecstatic.”
“I felt great,” said the local president, “because going into my first contract negotiations as president, I was nervous. But when they heard the results, the people were blown away.”
“This is a historic agreement between Sargent and Local 243,” said UE Director of Organization Gene Elk, who as an international rep. worked with the local on its two previous rounds of bargaining. “It’s a tribute to the hard work of union members in previous negotiations, who have forcefully communicated to the company, ‘Keep your hands off our medical!’”
http://www.ueunion.org/ue-news/2016/sargent-workers-win-solid-agreement-in-just-one-day-of-bargaining
People that think Unions cause plant to close are just ignorant. Yes there have been plant that are Unionized that have closed or moved overseas but the cause was not the Union. There has been many more plants that were not unionized closed then vice versa. So who do you want to blame if a non-union plant closes. Plants close for many reasons such as a poor product or even poor management but Unions do not close plants that does not keep them in business.
Watch out – word is out the NWO, Outsiders, and Spirit Squad are being called in, but who side will they be on???
So Mr Whitlock is disappointed that employees are utilizing there right to vote in a union – this is the US dude!!
My father has only gotten one day off a week for the last few months, with no end in sight. His weekends are practically non-existent and it has a huge effect on his family and friends. Curries needs to get their staffing problems in order, or a union will do it for them. Overworking the long time loyal employees is terrible for morale. Remember Curries: A happy worker is a productive worker!
Bull. If they get a Union in (which will be a huge mistake) the company will retain management rights and part of that is mandatory overtime. It will get worse not better.
Oh, it could get worse? You mean the employees will work 7 days a week? You make no sense, you corporate troll. Go back to your air conditioned office and sit on your butt.
Curries used to be a good place to work. The Currie family seemed to take care of it’s employees, that’s why they were non union. When big corporations take over, this is what happens. When workers feel helpless in the workplace, where else are they going to turn???. I’m not saying all unions are good (strong) but many are. The Boilermakers have been around for a long time, hopefully they can help these workers if they choose to go that way. It’s in the hands of the workers, not the negative bloggers on this site. I’d bet that the union haters that blog on this site, have never belonged to a union and are just voicing here say. Workers have the right to join a union, if they see fit, go Curries.
A lot of jobs will be lost. More work for other country’s.
I take it you don’t want the employees to know how the Sargent Door Lock plant is Union. All the new robots and upgrades are under tax breaks that you would have to pay back if you tried moving. No get off news websites and try and get your job done office boy.
Don’t be any dumber than you already are. There is always a way around that crap. Now, go to work or you will be fired, as it should be.
^^^^^
There you have it… managment telling us we’re dumb and should be fired… But we don’t need a union!
A union will not stop someone like you from being fired. People like you are the problem, not the cure but think you deserve more. You union pukes are all the same. lt would be easy to get enough on you to put you out the door. You have the best wages and benefits in the area but think you should have more. You will like working at McDonald’s. It is what you are suited for.
Well aren’t you the good little lackey.
Yassa Mr. Boss man, whatever you say Mr Boss man.
I’m just an ignorant fool and will do whatever you say Mr. Boss man.
I’ll just bend over and you can do whatever you want Mr. Boss man.
I’ll just kiss your ass Mr Boss man because I have no self-respect and am grateful for whatever scraps you throw my way.
Glad you finally learned your place in life fool.
You’re too stupid to even realize that was about you.
What a dumbass ass-kisser you are.
You’re just a little minion without any intelligent thought or one iota of any common sense.
You’ve bent over so many times that when you fart it just goes “woof”
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Fellow Curries workers, please read this persons post. This is what Curries management thinks of us. Curries managment clearly views us as lower life forms than them and not worthy of having a voice. Please remember this person and his/her attitude toward us when voting.
The only thing we will remember is we are paying the union for nothing other than protecting someone like you who should never have been hired in the first place. We will lose benefits, money and eventually our jobs for nothing.
Again… you’re not going to lose benefits or wages unless we vote to take less. That’s how it works! We have done nothing but lose benefits without a union. I’m not sure what you are talking about and I it’s obviuos you don’t either. Please educate yourself on what it means to have a contract and a voice.
Bull! Scare tactic. Teachers unions, postal unions and nursing unions will ALL tell you they make 30% more than non-union counterparts. What is your motive for your comment? What do YOU gain from no union at Curries?
Ask anyone who worked at IMI what the union did for them. Ultimately IMI left town for China and Mexico. Costing a lot of people their jobs. Buyer beware.
Please explain how the union casued those jobs to leave for MExico and China? The only possible way those workers could compete is to work for 3 bucks an hour or less without benefits. Since minimum wage is $7.25 it doesn’t matter it was union or not… they were leaving. Please people think before posting!
What a uninformed statement. The Union had nothing to do with this company moving their stuff to China. Time for American workers to stop being crapped on and stand up. These companies move overseas all the time NOT because of Unions and not making a profit but for nothing more then greed.
Be careful what you ask for. I know someone who is union, gets no vacation, holidays or sick days but pays thousands in dues. Why? Underfunded pension…… Great to be in a union.
>not bait
What union? Thousands in dues?? And no vacation holidays or sick days because of a pension?? What does a pension have to with sick days vacation or hoildays? That makes NO sense! What union?
Unless your completely full of it prove your comment. What Union pays thousands in dues? Where is this at your imagination? The only reason pensions are unfunded is because of bad business practices by a company and that should be illegal.
Exactly! Union dues are typically 1% of salary. If someone is paying thousands of dollars well then I guess they can afford it! Another scare tactic attempt. Go Curries! Vote IN UNION!
Hummm…really? The employees ARE the union. Why would employees negotiate that contract? Name the facility this is happening at? If you are correct, this is a VERY WEAK union and the union itself (employees) are to blame. I don’t believe a word of it. Another scare tactic.
Those are all conditions of empoyment which we will have a say in once our union is formed. Without a union we are employees-at-will, which means we can be fired for no reason. Please educate your self before posting company nonsense!
Once a union is formed the employer cannot change any benefits without talking it over with us. That’s in the law. Therefore, I don’t believe we’ll give away any of our benefits. Losing our benefits is what we’ve been doing for the past few years… WITHOUT A UNION!!!
your benefits are great!! do some checking with other companies in the area. and you CAN lose your benefits! It may be against the law to change them after a union gets in, but take it to the negotiation table and you could lose more than you think!!!
Our benefits are pretty good… whcih is why we want them in writing. We have to vote on any changes ot our benefits, no one I work with is going to vote to take less. Would you?????
To all Curries workers who are reading this post. There is a meeting with our union organizers this Wednesday at the labor temple at 3:30. Please show up and support this effort for us to get a say in things finally.
the union cannot fix the temp worker issues, the union cannot fix the requirement of using safety equipment, the union cannot fix rising health care deductibles and costs, the union cannot fix overtime, and the union cannot control who is let go for whatever the reason. All this union is going to do is take your money every week to pay the $12 million dollar salary of the staff of the union president and his minions and for the $200,000+ luxury hotel stays. Read the public Union reports!! Where will your union dues go? Newsflash, not back to you!! Curries employees…there are other Assa Abloy facilities that they can send the manufacturing of your doors and frames to. I would be concerned that the doors will close!
Well Actually:
New Haven, CT
On February 8, members of Local 243 voted 187 to 5 to ratify a new three-year contract that increases wages and the pension, and maintains the existing health insurance. Maintaining the medical benefits with no increase in costs to workers was one of the most important elements of the agreement, and members were extremely pleased about it. “We’re ecstatic our medical is unchanged,” 27-year employee Gina King told the New Haven Independent.
The new contract was bargained a month before the old agreement was set to expire, and the settlement was reached in just one day of bargaining, although some off-the-record discussions occurred leading up to negotiations. Local 243 members work at Sargent Manufacturing/Assa Abloy, where they manufacture high-end locks, door closures and security systems. It’s one of the oldest locals in UE, and members celebrated the union’s 75th anniversary in 2014.
On wages, members each receive a $1,500 ratification bonus. In the second year wages increase by 3 percent, and by 2 percent in the third year.
…
Only one area of contract language is changed in the new agreement, regarding temporary employees. The new improved language says that after 180 days of employment, all temporary employees will become regular full time Sargent employees.
source: http://www.ueunion.org/ue-news/2016/sargent-workers-win-solid-agreement-in-just-one-day-of-bargaining
University of Iowa nurses were concerned with inadequate coverage due to low staffing. They have a union (SEIU) and the union negotiated mandatory levels of staffing. This improved things for nurses AND patients, improving safety.
Yesss! And now nurses in MC are interested in the same. U of I union has worked VERY well. Many MN nurses are union as well. Good example! Thank you.
Not true !! Unions will help with the issues you stated !! that is what labor negotiations is all about….keep fighting for the right !!
Really? MN Nurses union is negotiating over health benefits right now. AND they were on strike for a week in June over benefits. So, YES a union CAN do what you say they can’t. Why the scare tactic? Do some research.
Many people don’t realize that Curries and Graham are 2 different entities. Just because they are owned by Assa Abloy does not mean the have the same policies and benefits. A union will not help with what they want to change. If a union does come in they could lose a lot of benefits. Last but not least, it is not Curries door plant it is Assa Abloy/Curries.
Do you really think Graham employees will not take note when they see the other plant unionize and pool together to get better treatment, lower healthcare coats, and a written cap on forced overtime? You must have been hungover in Human Relations class from to many frat parties office boy. You cannot treat your children differently just because one is from another marriage.
Not a big fan of Unions, but some of these corporations just don’t seem to learn anything from history.
Treat your employees well and they will treat the company well.
Treat your employees badly like getting rid of long term employees, reduce the workforce & make the remaining people make up for it, and this “temporary worker” BS is just the straw that broke the camels back.
Like I said, not a fan of Unions, but I do not blame the employees for looking out for themselves, as companies like Assa Abloy certainly don’t give a shit about them.
Curries people do not be swayed by some flyer, this is a chance for you to have a voice!
Ha ha ha I bet all those guys that kiss ass to become a lead are nervous about this!! Hope it goes through and you leads will be equal!!!
by the way Anonymous leads are equals. They get to vote to.
they may be equal for voting, but senority goes bye bye if the union is voted in and any type of negotiations start. Curries already has one of the best health care plans in town and the highest paid in town.
Not true !! The only part of the Unions that I don’t believe in is the Seniority clause. This is not fair in my thinking. You can work somewhere 25 years keep doing a shit job and you will keep your job…due to seniority… The younger shorter term employee that runs circles around the long term employees in productivity, will get the boot first. To me it’s like tipping a waitress for doing shitty job..
“The younger shorter term employee that runs circles around the long term employees in productivity”
Not if they are a millennial, hell they think that they deserve a pay raise just for showing up.
They have the work ethic of the spoiled & coddled little brats that they are.
I’m here so give me a trophy.
Well duh Me!
Good luck – hope it is voted in!!!
Long overdue! Should have voted it in a long time ago!
Go for it !
The beatings will continue until morale improves.
Bob: Embrace me as your leader and as your DoO.
worker scum: Yes.
Bob: Work six day weeks – 10 hour days – no complaining and your joys will be endless.
Worker scum: Yes! We want it all. Trinkets. Cookies. And one more thing – We want a Cupcake.
Bob: Done.
You will find I am kind.
Unlike the cruel Union, who asked that you stand I require only that you kneel.
lol awesome post! (y) 😀
I attempted to organize Curries using the Steelworkers Union. The vote was close. 1991 approx. I was fired shortly after. I was happy about that.
This is a good thing. Even working people deserve to be treated fairly.
Please, Please, Please have us included in the unionization vote over at Graham we can be in the same local if not on the same contract for employment with Assa Abloy. They pull the same crap at our plant, temp in a revolving cycle.
Graham needs to get on board with this. How can they call a snow day at Curries and still make us come to work the same day at Graham. We are BOTH Assa Abloy. Then there is the 4-5 dollar pay difference as well.