TODAY'S TMJ4

Mercury Marine Employees Hold Rally

FOND DU LAC - Some workers at Mercury Marine held a rally Friday night in support of a second vote on contract concessions from the company.

The workers tell us they have now learned that there is nothing the union's by-laws that prevents a second vote. Union leaders have been saying that there could not be a second vote without substantial changes.

Meanwhile, union leaders are calling for the company to reopen negotiations.

In a news release, the union says, "These workers and this community deserve more than a rushed process with an artificial deadline that failed to deliver a solution that worked for everyone," said Midwest Territory Vice President Philip Gruber. "We are prepared to meet anytime, anywhere with this company to create a proposal that fairly addresses the needs of this company and the future of this community."

Mercury Marine has said that without major concessions from the union, it will be forced to move its operations to a plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Many of the Mercury Marine employees at the rally said they are not pleased with the concessions in the plan, but think lower wages are better than unemployment.

"I still think this contract stinks, but I don't want to be unemployed," 15 year Mercury employee Rick Schmidt said.

The organizers of the rally collected 300 signatures in support of a re-vote. They sent them to the union representatives and are waiting to hear if there will be another vote.