Nearly 100 truck drivers in the
Louisville metropolitan area went on strike April 26 against concrete distributor
Irving Materials, Inc. The strike reaches six different cement plants where
workers have been negotiating for a contract since their last contract expired
in November 2009.
Members of Teamsters Local 89 reached an
impasse when IMI submitted a final agreement that raised worker health care
contributions and reduced wage guarantees. Shortly afterward, IMI sent the
strikers a letter indicating that it was doing well financially.
One worker who has worked at the plant
for nine years, explained the frustration and anger over IMI’s handling of the
labor struggle: “It’s more like collective begging rather than collective
bargaining.” “[I]t seems they are trying to balance their profit margins on our
backs,” explained another striking worker.
