Approximately 84 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 1297, District 54, have been on strike at Libbey Glass in Toledo since August 22. The workers are protesting what they describe as unfair labor practices, citing a failure by company leadership to bargain in good faith and present a fair contract offer.
U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) recently joined the striking workers on the picket line and sent a letter to Libbey Glass management. In her letter, she urged the company to return to negotiations with both IAM and the United Steelworkers (USW).
“I understand that Libbey Glass has advanced proposals the unions feel would harm the IAM and USW’s ability to represent their members, remove valid disputes from the grievance and arbitration process, erode protections for workers to exclusively perform their work, and restrict the workers’ ability to strike,” wrote Rep. Kaptur. “I am concerned about these reports, and hope that further negotiation can achieve agreements that foster a new era of labor/management cooperation at Libbey’s Toledo production facilities.”
Union members have expressed concerns about mandatory overtime provisions limiting time with family, loss of rights and protections for union members, and increasing health insurance costs. According to union representatives, Libbey Glass has not engaged in meaningful negotiations or offered an improved contract.
