By: Joe Strupp A machinists union that had represented 23 employees at the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch is no longer the bargaining unit for those workers, the paper reported today.
In a press release, the Times-Dispatch, a Media General paper, revealed that a majority of workers that had been members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers had rejected union representation at the paper. Those included machinists, maintenance mechanics, and engineering technicians at the paper's Hanover County production plant.
"The employee action is a clear endorsement of the company's business principles of fairness, dignity and respect for its employees," Thomas A. Silvestri, president and publisher of The Times-Dispatch, said in a statement.
In a letter to employees, the publisher elaborated on the impact of the move: "Think about what we can accomplish as a united organization - a growing and expanding Times-Dispatch that celebrates the victories along the way."
Officials at the IAMAW headquarters in Maryland declined immediate comment Tuesday on the change.
The paper had been in contract negotiations with the union since Nov. 9, 2004 following a vote in September 2000 by employees in favor of representation. But, in a letter to workers, the paper asserted that enough of the represented employees had indicated a willingness to withdraw membership that the paper sought to stop recognizing the union.
"The reason for withdrawal of recognition is that we have actual, certain knowledge that a majority of employees in the bargaining unit have objectively, and very recently, (on or about Feb. 22, 2006) expressed, in writing, that they no longer want to be represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers," the letter said.
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