Union accuses Metal Powder Products of unfair labor practices
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The International Union of Electrical Workers-Communications Workers of America announced Monday it has filed multiple Unfair Labor Practice charges against Noblesville-based Metal Powder Products.
The union alleges the company attempted to undermine an effort by workers at the company’s Campbellsburg plant to vote for union representation in an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.
A majority of workers voted to join the union at the election on April 10. The workers cited issues such as the company’s plan to cease its 401(k) match, the elimination of vacation banks, lack of due process for grievances and overall poor working conditions as reasons for seeking union representation.
The union claims that MPP engaged in numerous anti-union tactics, including holding captive audience meetings, distributing anti-union flyers, and providing “vote no” t-shirts to supervisors.
During the election, the company allegedly turned workers away from voting, misled them about voting times, and positioned supervisors wearing anti-union shirts near the polling place, according to the union.
Metal Powder Products did not respond to requests for comment from Inside INdiana Business.
The union said MPP’s alleged actions violate federal law and “compromises the integrity of the election process and chills workers from exercising their rights under federal law.”
“The extent to which MPP went to intimidate and manipulate its workers is shameful,” said Carl Kennebrew, President of IUE-CWA. “Such behavior undermines the fundamental rights of workers to freely choose representation without fear or coercion. This is unacceptable. Our entire union will see to it that MPP is held accountable and that justice is served.”
The union said 160 workers at the Campbellsburg plant have elected a bargaining committee and stewards, with the first bargaining session with the company scheduled for June 25.
The town of Campbellsburg is located in Washington County, about 100 miles south of Indianapolis.