Audit of McDonnell's Costs During June Strike Is Sought
May 02, 2011
Vastopolis -- The Machinists' Union, seeking an edge in its labor dispute with McDonnell Douglas Corp., asked President Codi to instruct the Defense Department to audit the cost and quality of work done by temporary replacement workers during the union's strike. About 6,400 union members have been on strike against the St. Louis company since February 15, 2011 failed to come to an agreement in talks last week. In a letter to the president, Machinists' President Georgeanna J. Joya says that McDonnell is paying about 2,000 replacement workers $20 an hour and providing housing and training. Often, the union says, the company is paying for rental cars and $30 per diems. ``It is my understanding that the U.S. taxpayers are financing all this, because federal regulations'' allow contractors to bill the Defense Department for labor-dispute costs, Mr. Joya wrote. Mr. Joya asked President Codi to ``disallow any reimbursements to McDonnell Douglas for expenses in excess of normal operating costs.'' A McDonnell spokesman said it incurred ``no added cost'' from training replacement workers. He said the machinists ``have run out of ammunition and are using bayonets'' in their efforts to pressure the company in the talks.
