President and Business Manager of the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 39, Kathryn Bartlett-Mulvihill, joined the America’s Work Force Radio Podcast to discuss the ongoing strike at Trustage. Bartlett-Mulvihill also discussed the multiple stalling practices being used by the employer and what issues still remain unresolved in the bargaining process.
For the first time in their 80-plus years, workers at TruStage Financial Group walked off the job. The workers had faced a rising number of issues in the workplace from a lack of job security, pensions and health care plans being taken away and pay scale issues. Before agreeing to the strike, the workers tried to bargain with the employer for multiple months, but eventually negotiations stalled and ended in January of 2023.
There have been nine unfair labor practice charges against Trustage since the negotiations started. Constant stalling and not bargaining in good faith were the most recent charges. Previously, the employer was a relatively easy bargaining partner for it’s workers, but since a change in CEO it has become completely anti-union, Bartlett-Mulvihill said.
The negotiations are beginning again in the coming days with a renewed hope that the employer will bargain in good faith with the union. Still far from a resolution are issues including health care, a proper yearly pay raise and improving the diversity, equity and inclusion numbers in the workplace. Bartlett-Mulvihill hopes the negotiations will be smoother this time, but there is a lot of work to be done.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.