CHICAGO (WBBM) -- The union that drew international attention when its members staged a six-day sit-in as Republic Windows & Doors closed its Goose Island plant last month seeks new sanctions against the now-bankrupt manufacturer.
The United Electrical Workers Union Tuesday asked the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to order the return of equipment moved hastily from the plant to Iowa in the weeks before Republic's shutdown was announced.
"We are not going away quietly at all. We're going to keep fighting," said Ron Bender, a shop steward and 14-year Republic employee, as the union filed its unfair labor practices complaint with the NLRB.
Union organizer Leah Fried (freed) said the union has had discussions with several potential buyers for the plant, at 1353 N. Hickory St., but said it is clear that the chances of a deal are greatly enhanced if the equipment is returned.
The attorney representing the workers, Laurie Burgess, accused former Republic CEO Richard Gillman of failing to bargain in good faith by refusing to disclose his true intentions, of failing to give the federally-required 60 days plant closing notice and of refusing to negotiate over the effects of the shutdown.
Burgess said the equipment was moved to a factory in Red Oak, Ia., also owned by Gillman, in which windows and doors are being produced under a different name, Echo Windows, using non-union labor.
WBBM is attempting to reach Gillman for comment.
Fried contended that if anyone owns the equipment now, it is Bank of America, which canceled Republic's line of credit last month, precipitating the shutdown. Republic owes Bank of America millions of dollars.
Republic filed for bankruptcy only after the sit-in ended and terms of the workers' severance were resolved.
The workers received eight weeks severance and accrued vacation time, as provided under federal law, after Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase put additional loaned money into an escrow account administered by the union.
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) charged last month that Republic's management intended to use some of the loan money to pay bonuses to managers.
Even union representatives said that the relief they seek from the NLRB is "extreme," but said they can cite a 1994 precedent, in which the labor board ordered the return of machinery stripped from a Kerr Glass Chicago plant.
Fried said the former Republic workers are becoming increasingly anxious, as they spend their severance checks and the expiration of their health care in mid-February approaches. Bender said it is a bad time to be seeking work.
"It's very difficult now with the economy the way it is," he said.
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