As workers continue to rally outside the Harley-Davidson plant in Menomonee Falls during their unpaid lunch break, negotiations between the company and United Steelworkers Local 2-209 on a new contract may be nearing an end.
” They decided that they would extend the (current) contract one more day, ” a long time employee tells WTMJ, ” so Saturday (March 30) we will be getting contract negotiation packets to look at, and then Monday (April 1) at Waukesha Expo there will be a vote. ”
The current contract between the union and Harley Davidson was ratified in 2010, and took effect in 2012. The contact was set to expire on April 1.
The employee says one of their concerns what the issue of retirement, and how the company was handling it with contract negotiations ongoing.
” They were trying to say if you want to retire under the old contract, you have to tell us March 29 at 5 p.m. with no information, ” the employee said. ” We had no contract offer, no vote date, nothing. So it’s like playing Russian Roulette. ”
The employee says that changed March 28 with the announcement of a contract package and vote. The extension also allows the employee to vote on the contract.
” I wanted a choice, and I wanted to see what the offer was, and now I have a choice whether I want to leave or stay based on me at least seeing some information, ” the employee said. ” I was going to see nothing before that. ”