By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – United Steel Workers Local 16201 have been very open and laid back about their contract with SEMCO Energy, especially considering their contract has been expired since June 29 of this year. However, after no agreement could be reached, workers decided it was time to take action.
On Monday morning, 45 SEMCO employees went on strike and around 20 employees camped out in front of the SEMCO Energy building in Niles, located on Bell Road. Other employees were on strike in Three Rivers and Holland.
"We didn't want to get to this point," Union President of Local 16201 Steve Mudd said. "I have held these guys together for the past 19 weeks without a contract. We just figured SEMCO would meet with us or come to some agreement, but we have had no success," Mudd said.
Union workers have tried to negotiate a fare agreement for both sides. Mudd said the workers have granted SEMCO three extensions to the contract and have diligently tried to come to an agreement. He explained that the company wants a three-year benefit for the length of the contract, which workers are fine with. The problem is that SEMCO wants the right to change, modify and amend or delete all of the benefits that have been negotiated at any time after the second year of the agreement.
"That's like me going to Tyler's, buying a brand new car, and two years later having someone call me and tell me they want the tires from the car," Mudd said.
According to Connie Malloy, staff representative for the Untied Steel Workers District 2, employees could lose their health insurance, pension plan, life insurance and all other benefit plans.
"It does us no good to negotiate," she said.
Niles isn't the only town being affected by the strike. According to Mudd, almost all of the cities in Southwest Lower Michigan – including New Buffalo, New Troy, Sawyer, Buchanan, Galien, Dowagiac, Edwardsburg, Cassopolis and even as far as Holland – are being affected. Employees cover Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Ottawa, Allegan and part of Van Buren counties.
"That's between 114,000-119,000 customers. Every union member participated in this strike. It was 100 percent participation," Mudd said.
He added that it was not an easy decision to go on strike and that they held off as long as they could, mostly for the sake of the customers and communities, "but we can't let this go on anymore. Something has to be done," Mudd said.
The employees are responsible for repairing gas leaks, locating gas lines, installing and reading gas meters and to handle all emergency calls from customers concerning their gas service.
According to Mudd, SEMCO Energy tried to force the same type of waiver of bargaining rights language over benefit plans at their site in Port Huron. When those employees walked away from the bargaining table, the company withdrew its demand.
"We are asking for no less and no more than what the company has given to the Port Huron employees," Mudd said.
Mike Treash, Mike Burks and Bob Liebetrau were three of the employees on strike Monday morning.
"We just all need to get on the same page," Burks said.