Mersen workers facing furloughs, layoffs now asking elected officials to step in
The manufacturing plant in Columbia announced around 80% of their workers would be furloughed and some would be laid off.
COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WSMV) - Mersen, a manufacturing plant in Columbia, announced around 80% of their workers would be furloughed and 25% would be laid off, according to one of their employees. The move was made just two months after workers there voted to unionize in October.
The International Union of Electrical Workers-Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) Union organizer, Orvin Caraballo said it’s turned into a nightmare.
Tracy Johnson has worked at Mersen for nearly five years and was furloughed.
”Nothing stops, bills don’t stop so that’s actually what I’m doing right now working on the side trying to make some extra money," Johnson said. “That’s why I’m talking to you sitting in a truck.“
By the time he returns to work on Jan. 6th, he says he’ll have been out of work for 6-7 weeks, making it a tough holiday season.
“It’s just bad,” Johnson said. “You should be focused on the holidays and not really worrying about mortgage rent groceries etc. Right?”
He considers himself a little more fortunate though.
“A lot of the guys that are permanently laid off lost their healthcare benefits,” Johnson said. “They got health problems they need their health insurance.”
The announcement of these furloughs and layoffs comes two months after the workers at Mersen voted to unionize. Caraballo said,
”To us, it seems like retaliation of workers trying to make sustainable jobs,“ Caraballo said. ”Once workers form a union in the workplace, the employer, any changes they want to make they have to bring it to the union and negotiate and bargain.“
Caraballo is with the union and says now they’re calling on elected officials to step in. They sent a letter to various elected officials including the following:
- Governor Bill Lee
- Mayor of Maury County Sheila Butt
- Mayor of Columbia Chaz Molder
- Sen. Joey Hensley
- U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles
WSMV4 reached out to both mayors. They both confirmed they received the letter and researching the matter.
Caraballo details what’s in the letter.
“We’re asking for a cease and desist of the furloughs and the layoffs for the elected officials to ask the company to cease it and not to do it,” Caraballo said.
They’re also asking officials to hold Mersen accountable and ask them to give workers healthcare until at least the end of the year.
Caraballo also alleges that Mersen is violating federal law by not meeting to negotiate with the union before the announcement of the furloughs and layoffs.
“They can’t make any unilateral decisions without actually bargaining those decisions and that’s what has happened at Mersen.”
The union also said they filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.
WSMV4 took all these claims to Mersen and has not heard back from them yet.
Johnson says at the end of the day they’re hoping to save jobs.
“We’re not asking for charity or anything we’re just trying to save our jobs and get a fair deal,” Johnson said.
Read the full letter sent to elected officials below:
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