Update on Local 1990 Strike
By Region 8 Servicing Representative Mike Brown

UAW Local 1990 represents bargaining unit employees of the NTN-Bower Corporation located in Hamilton, Alabama. This facility manufactures tapered roller bearings and employs approximately 240 employees. The last contract expired April 21, 2006.
The parties opened negotiations on February 21, 2006. At the first meeting, the Company representatives proposed approximately 235 non-economic changes. On May 18th, the Company presented the Union with their “last, best, and final offer”, through the Federal Mediator. The Union requested a face-to-face meeting with the Company and they refused to meet with the representatives of the Union.
Employees continued to work under the expired Agreement until July of 2007, when the Company’s proposal was presented to the Membership for vote. The Membership rejected the proposal by more than 98%.
The Union advised the Company of the Membership’s vote and requested they return to the bargaining table. The parties resumed negotiations on July 23, 2007 only to find the Company’s proposals were worse than those contained in their “last, best and final offer”.
The following represents a partial listing of the Company’s most recent “Takeaway List” presented to the Union’s Bargaining Committee:
NTN-BOWER’S PROPOSED TAKEAWAY LIST
- TAKEAWAY: NTN-Bower employees and replace them with Temporary employees.

-TAKEAWAY: NTN-Bower Maintenance, Tool Room, and Tool Crib employees and replace them with Advanced Technology Services employees.

-TAKEAWAY: All seniority with 52 continuous weeks of absence from work for any reason including a work injury and layoff.

-TAKEAWAY: Seniority for Layoff and Recall.

-TAKEAWAY: Current protections of the Pension Plan, Retirement Savings Plan, and all insurance plans with their demand to amend it as they determine necessary.

-TAKEAWAY: One of the two breaks/rest periods, during the regular shift.

-TAKEAWAY: Protections in the Grievance Procedure, Job Bidding Procedures, Shift Preference Rights, Overtime Scheduling Provisions, Overtime Pay Provisions, Bereavement Provisions, Holiday Eligibility, Holiday Observance, Vacation Pay, Vacation Scheduling, Retiree Insurance, and many other items too numerous to mention.

-TAKEAWAY: Insurance coverages, while increasing co-pays, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs.

-TAKEAWAY: The small wage increases they offered by increasing employee contributions for health care in each of the next 5 years by as much as over 500%.