About 84 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 1297, part of District 54, continue their strike at Libbey Glass in Toledo. The work stoppage began on August 22 as union members protested what they describe as unfair labor practices and a lack of good faith bargaining from company leadership.
U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) recently visited the picket line to show support for the striking workers. She also sent a letter to Libbey Glass management urging them to return to negotiations with both the 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 raised concerns about mandatory overtime provisions that limit time with family, reductions in rights and protections for union members, and increasing health insurance costs. According to union representatives, Libbey Glass has not engaged in meaningful negotiations or presented an improved contract offer.
