{"id":299764,"date":"2026-10-04T20:56:33","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T20:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/299764\/"},"modified":"2026-10-04T20:56:33","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T20:56:33","slug":"with-some-under-the-illusion-they-could-bargain-for-better-wages-themselves-workers-employed-at-whiting-door-in-erie-county-will-participate-in-a-roll-of-the-dice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/299764\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018With Some Under the Illusion They Could Bargain For Better Wages Themselves,\u2019 Workers Employed At Whiting Door In Erie County \u2018Will Participate In A Roll Of The Dice\u2019 Union Decertification Election This Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\"\u2018With\t<\/p>\n

(AKRON, NEW YORK) \u2013 In what just may well be one of the first Union Decertification Elections in Western New York Labor History, Workers employed at Akron\u2019s Whiting Door Manufacturing Corporation – including a faction that believes they are better equipped to negotiate an agreement with improved wages, benefits and safety rules than the United Steelworkers (USW) – will cast their votes on Tuesday (October 6th).<\/p>\n

And while it may be a first for WNY, it certainly is an old story when it comes to Workers thinking they can go it alone against management without someone standing up for them, which could swing the door wide open for their bosses to make promises, but fail to keep them – all the while ensuring their Employees that they have their best interest in mind.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor President Denise Abbott, who took part in a supportive rally held outside the plant with the USW and a number of other area Labor Unions (including the Communications Workers of America, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and Workers United, as well as some Elected Officials), on Friday (October 2nd) told WNYLaborToday.com: \u201cIt\u2019s \u2018shocking to me they feel this is the right way to go.\u2019 I would ask them: \u2018What is the reason why there is a Union in your workplace?\u2019 \u2018Obviously there was a reason.\u2019 \u2018Is the owner so great that you don\u2019t need a contract?\u2019 \u2018They need to talk to other Union Members and learn the reason why it is important to be in a Union – the wages, benefits and protections you don\u2019t get if you aren\u2019t in one.\u2019 \u2018Life is better in a Union.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

WNYLaborToday.com Editor\u2019s Note: Pictured above, WNYALF President Abbott flanked by USW District 4 Staff Representative Mark McDonald (on the left) and USW District 4 Sub-District Director Joe Vertalino (on the right) during Friday\u2019s supportive rally held outside Whiting Door. (WNYLaborToday.com Photos)<\/p>\n

USW Local 748 represents 260 Members who work for the original manufacturer of roll-up doors for the Transportation Industry that began operations back in 1953.<\/p>\n

Over the years, Whiting Door – which focuses on designing and manufacturing doors that are easy to install, operate and maintain, has grown to become the leading supplier of roll-up doors in the Industry, according to information posted on its website.<\/p>\n

Local 748 President Fred Drahms tells WNYLaborToday.com the decertification effort is being led by a number of younger Members \u201cwho feel they would be better off dealing with the company on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Local, with the help of the USW International and District 4 Office, has been contacting Members individually prior to this week\u2019s vote in order to continue to underscore the worth of being Unionized.<\/p>\n

As a result, Drahms says, a great number \u201cwant to keep\u201d the Steelworkers at their Bargaining Representative.<\/p>\n

A five-year negotiated contract is currently in its fourth year and the Members\u2019 hourly rate ranges from $22 to $26. The company matches contributions in a 401(k) Plan, Drahms added.<\/p>\n

However, some Members weren\u2019t happy about the fact that they had to pay a bit more into their health coverage after the company held firm and wouldn\u2019t budge on a negotiated cap.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were \u2018upset\u2019 over that,\u201d Drahms said.<\/p>\n

The Whiting Door Decertification Election is surprising in light of new\u00a0Gallup\u00a0polling<\/a>\u00a0released earlier this year that found 71% of people in the U.S. approve of Unions, continuing the highest period of favorability in over 60 years.<\/p>\n

This coincides with the\u00a0greatest number of Workers represented by a Union<\/a>\u00a0in 16 years.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Gallup polling showed Unions are favorable across generations and party lines with 77% of adults ages 18-to-34, 74% of adults ages 35-to-54 and 67% of adults\u00a0ages\u00a055 and older approving of Unions – and 89% of Democrats, 70% of Independents and 52% of Republicans also approving of Unions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This\u00a0is just one of many recent surveys\u00a0demonstrating\u00a0the broad popularity of Unions:\u00a0Unions are more\u00a0popular\u00a0than Big\u00a0Business.\u00a0People in the U.S. favor Unions over Big Business by\u00a0more than 16 percentage points<\/a> – the greatest gap ever recorded; 56 million U.S. Workers would join a Union tomorrow if they could.\u00a043% of Non-Union Workers<\/a>\u00a0would vote to Unionize their workplace if given the opportunity; and Majority views\u00a0Union decline as bad for the U.S.\u00a0Most people in the U.S.<\/a>\u00a0say the decline in Union Density is bad for the country (60%) and bad for Working People (62%).\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u00a0should\u00a0be no surprise\u00a0that the public views\u00a0Unions favorably:\u00a0Unions\u00a0help Workers win\u00a0higher\u00a0wages,\u00a0advocate for\u00a0safer and healthier workplaces, support a thriving Middle Class, and strengthen Democracy by boosting\u00a0civic participation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

(WNYLaborToday.com Editor\u2019s Note: To Continue Reading this Labor News Report, Go To: Unions are extremely popular: 56 million workers would join a union if they could | Economic Policy Institute<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Meanwhile back in Akron, WNYLaborToday.com interviewed three USW Members at Whiting Door who agreed to do so anonymously, fearing company retribution if they were identified.<\/p>\n

Said one Worker: \u201cThere\u2019s \u2018been a lot\u2019 of turnover – about (20) people last year. \u2018There\u2019s a lot of new people who have been hired who just don\u2019t know any better.\u2019 \u2018They\u2019re listening to the wrong people.\u2019 \u2018I\u2019m sick about all of this because they think they can get more money themselves – like they can just walk upstairs and do it themselves.\u2019 \u2018They really believe they can go it alone and negotiate a raise because of the Union Dues they would no longer have to pay.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Another Worker told WNYLaborToday.com: \u201cIt\u2019s \u2018become a hostile\u2019 work environment (because of all that has transpired). \u2018I\u2019m worried about our safety on the job without\u2019 a Union. \u2018I don\u2019t want to give up\u2019 our Union Safety Rules. \u2018And, they won\u2019t need an excuse to fire you for any reason if you don\u2019t have a Union\u2019 (standing with you).\u201d<\/p>\n

A third told WNYLaborToday.com: \u201cI\u2019m \u2018upset because they don\u2019t realize the company is not for their people when it comes to wages, benefits and security.\u2019 \u2018We are not likely to get more money.\u2019 \u2018I just don\u2019t see that happening.\u2019 \u2018Without a Union here, there will definitely be problems.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

USW District 4 Sub-District Director Joe Vertalino added: \u201cThe company \u2018will not make good on their promises\u2019 (without a Union in place). And there have been some injuries inside the plant, \u2018so will they remove or relax any safety rules?\u2019 \u2018I would believe they would \u2013 one-hundred-percent.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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