Serious Energy Workers Strike a Deal to Try and Save Jobs

Workers Strike a Deal to Try and Save Jobs
by United Electrical Workers (UE) on Friday, February 24, 2012 at 12:17am

After being told by local management this morning that the Serious Energy window factory would close effective immediately, workers at the former Republic Windows and Doors plant had one demand: time to save these jobs by finding a buyer for the business. Local management refused and in response, workers voted to occupy for the second time with their union the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers of America, UE. In 2008 UE members successfully occupied their factory and won $1.75 million in wages and benefits owed to them from Bank of America.

After the occupation began, Serious Energy's corporate leaders stepped in, declared that the local management should not have acted in this manner, and immediately began talks to resolve the situation responsibly. A deal has now been struck to try and save the jobs. Serious Energy has agreed to keep the plant operational and people on the job for another 90 days while the union workers and the company work together to find a way to keep the plant open with new ownership because the plant will no longer be part of Serious Energy's business plan. After 9 hours the occupation has ended with a hopeful workforce.

"We started the morning with the plant closing and ended the day with work and a chance to save our jobs." said Armando Robles, President of UE Local 1110, "We are committed to finding a new buyer for the plant or if we can, buy the place ourselves and run it. Either way, we are hopeful".