We’ve heard plenty about managers’ “open door” policies, but this is going too far.
Greg Godfrey is the plant manager at the nonunion Dyno Nobel chemical factory in Deer Island, Oregon (north of St. Helens). On Feb. 9, according to National Labor Relations Board charges filed by Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW), Godfrey drove to a hotel where the union was meeting with employees, walked up to the meeting room, and looked in to see who was attending.
After the union organizer confronted him, he left, but he later returned and parked his vehicle a short distance from the hotel driveway — to spy on employees and discourage attendance, the union alleges.
Moreover, AWPPW says, he went on to interrogate employees, verbally abuse union supporters, and indicate that those who supported the union were disloyal, even telling them if they didn’t like the way they were being treated, they could leave and move to Australia. [Since 2008, Dyno Nobel has been owned by Incitec Pivot Limited, an Australia-headquartered maker of fertilizers and industrial explosives.]
Despite the intimidation, AWPPW has requested a union election to determine if the 24 workers at the plant want to join.
This is the heritage of the USA’s consistently weak enforcement of existing labor laws…management believes it can do anything, with impunity.
And why shouldn’t they? Candidate Obama told union members he’d put on his most comfortable shoes and walk the picket line with them. Well, he’s been a no-show for labor, ever since…until the current campaign.
Wonder if he’s found those shoes, yet?