END OF AN ERA ?
The last commercial Freightliner branded truck
rolled down the assembly line March 29, 2007. Now
the Freightliner name has disappeared from most of
the company’s buildings on Portland’s Swan Island.
The truck manufacturing plant is
now known as the Western Star
Truck Manufacturing Plant, and the
Freightliner Corporate Head-
quarters became Daimler Trucks
North America LLC, as of Jan. 7,
2008. The truck plant is now pro-
ducing Western Star brand trucks,
and the Freightliner military vehicle.
The Daimler name is replacing
DaimlerChrysler as the name of the
parent company. Workers in the
truck plant are members of the
Machinists, Teamsters, Painters and
Service Employees.
ATU #757 members ready to
strike AMR in Josephine County
GRANTS PASS — Emergency medical technicians and paramedics em-
ployed at American Medical Response (AMR) are preparing to go on strike
Jan. 20 in Josephine County.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 represents a bargaining unit of 33
ambulance workers at AMR. On Jan. 7 they gave a 10-day notice to strike.
They were ready to walk out at 8 a.m. Jan. 17, but that was pushed back 72
hours on Jan. 14 after AMR delivered some financial documents that the union
had been seeking. AMR claims that it doesn’t make a profit in Josephine
County. The union doesn’t buy it, and wanted to see proof.
“AMR stalled and stalled handing over any documents,” said Local 757
President Jon Hunt. “When it finally got down to the wire (to strike), we got
some more documents.”
At press time, the union was still scouring the documents for information. In
the meantime, they decided to delay the strike and, instead, meet with a federal
mediator on Jan. 17. (The outcome of that mediation was not known at press
time.) The new strike date is set for Jan. 20.
The union has been trying to bargain a new contract for nearly two years.
Key issues in the dispute are wages and health insurance benefits. As it stands,
some EMTs and paramedics at AMR make just a few cents above the state
minimum wage of $7.95 an hour. According to Hunt, EMTs are on call 24
hours a day, and the average work-week is 56 hours.
During negotiations AMR implemented the company’s national health in-
surance plan and increased worker co-payments for premiums. It also gave
workers a wage increase, although part of that was tied to the increase in the
state minimum wage on Jan. 1.
Local 757 has filed an unfair labor practice complaint, which is pending.
“Our people are solid. I think the company realizes that,” Hunt said. “Hope-
fully we can get something worked out on the 17th. If not, our people are ready
to strike.”
Michael E. Hardeman, Business Representative
Sign & Display Local 510
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JANUARY 18, 2007
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
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