Despite Wendt Corporation’s aggressive anti-union campaign, workers at Cheektowaga based auto shredding manufacturer voted by a 70 per cent margin to form a union in June 2017 and affiliated with the Ironworkers Local 576.
Unfortunately, the hostility towards union members didn’t stop after the union election. In February 2019, a U.S. administrative law judge issued a decision finding the Wendt Corporation guilty of over 20 violations of United States federal labour law – such as the unlawful dismissals of ten workers and delaying of annual wages to punish union supporters.
The administrative law judge required Wendt to pay these workers their lost wages. The judge also found that Wendt issued a number of threats to Union supporters such as threatening to discipline a worker for wearing a Union t-shirt, threatening to discipline a worker for wearing a Union pin, threatening to discipline a worker for posting a pro-Union photograph on Facebook, unlawfully interrogating workers about their support of the Union, creating the impression that it was engaged in surveillance of workers during their lawful Union activities, and telling workers that Wendt would lay off supporters of the Union.
The administrative law judge’s ruling is only one step towards workers resolving their issues with Wendt Corporation. It has been a prolonged struggle, but Wendt workers have not been alone. The faith and community-based organizations of Western New York along with elected officials and the global labour community like BWI have helped the Wendt workers remain positive and strong.
The Ironworkers request continued support and solidarity for the workers at the Wendt until all their issues are resolved through a fair negotiated agreement. The BWI will relaunch a solidarity campaign to support these workers.
