Progress Illinois

While the national spotlight might have shifted to some other Illinois characters during the past month, the Republic Windows workers are still fighting to return their lost jobs to Chicago.  Today, they brought a complaint to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in response to the company's abrupt closure of their Goose Island plant in early December. At a press conference in front of the NLRB's downtown office this morning, United Electrical Local 1110 organizer Leah Fried explained how the owners violated labor law:

The law says that when an employer takes an action that has an impact on workers and union members that the employer must notify and bargain with the union over that action. In this case, [Republic owner] Rich Gillman did not notify union members of his plans to move to machinery and production to [Iowa-based] Echo Windows, nor did he provide the information when directly asked.  Rich Gillman did not bargain in good faith with the union regarding the removal of machinery and the shutdown of operations. 

As we noted this morning, the workers are asking the NLRB to seek an injunction forcing Gillman to return the machinery to the Chicago plant.  Fried further explained that their ultimate goal is to recruit new owners and reopen the factory under "competent management":

We believe strongly that any employer like Rich Gillman who violates their legal obligations to their workers must be held accountable for their actions.  Second, we are asking the NLRB to obtain an injunction to return the machinery removed from the factory back to the Goose Island facility. ... This is very important to union members because it increases the ability of the factory to be bought and reopened with honest and competent management.

UE Western Region President Carl Rosen echoed Fried: “We want to see the plant reopen and in order for that to happen there needs to be equipment.” 

According to Rosen, Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward) has taken the lead on finding new owners for the Goose Island factory. We put a call in to Waguespack’s office for details today but are yet to hear back.

There’s no firm timetable on when the NLRB might decide if an investigation, and ultimately an injunction, is warranted. Attorney Laurie Burgess, who is representing the union, acknowledged today that an injunction of this sort requires “extreme and unusual” conditions.  She added that these are just such circumstances.

You can read the union's complaint below (click the button in the upper right corner to expand):