Last Friday, CUNA mutual workers started an unfair labor practice strike. They have bargained with the company many times, but there is still little progress.
Labor Radio reporter Abigail Leavins spoke with union members about their plans moving forward.
CUNA mutual workers, who have been on strike since last Friday, voted Wednesday to extend the strike to June.
I spoke with Sarah Larsen, who is part of the bargaining committee, and she explained why the strike started in the first place.
“They are not bargaining in good faith. They have committed several violations of federal labor law so that we’ve had to file unfair labor practices against them. They have been moving at a snails pace at members core priorities.”
And Larsen said that even when the union has tried to protest these conditions, the company has not listened, and even taken anti-union action.
“They retaliated against union leadership all the way up to and including the firing of Joe Evica, our chief steward. So that’s why we’re here today.”
Even though the workers have been on strike for a week now, the company is still not negotiating. Larsen said that is why workers voted 95% to extend the strike.
“We just weren’t seeing the kind of movement that we needed to not extend it. So this is exactly what needs to happen to put enough pressure on the company to get them to start taking this seriously.”
Larsen said union members are committed to seeing this through, and are determined not to back down.
“Energy has remained high. Membership is committed to seeing this through.”
And Joel Bryhan, a member of OPEIU 39, said the workers have a lot of hope for the future.
“The energy is really amazing. People are starting to see the things work, we’re seeing the company start to really struggle without us.”
Larsen added that this is the biggest the union has ever been.
“The process of bargaining this new contract has united membership in a way that we’ve never seen. Membership is stronger now than it’s ever been, and they are not going to back down until we get a fair contract so we’re in it to win it.”
Union members have been out from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in different shifts, trying to make as much noise as they can. And Bryhan said there has been a lot of support from the community.
“The community’s been super positive. We’ve had people, they’re sending food, they’re sharing the word.”
They met with CUNA mutual on Wednesday and, according to Larsen, there was no movement or counterproposals, even though the company claimed they had tried to bargain. There are no more meetings planned until May 30.
Reporting for W-O-R-T Labor Radio, I’m Abigail Leavins.