The Hartford Courant
April 17, 2010
A building materials wholesaler in South Windsor has paid $264,000 in back pay and has rehired 10 workers who lost their jobs in 2008 after they tried to join a union, federal labor officials said today.
The wholesaler, Parksite Group, had been accused of violating several labor laws, by refusing to recognize and bargain with the union, and by getting rid of the workers who supported unionizing efforts.
In 2007, Parksite's warehouse in South Windsor was being operated by a contractor, Ryder Integrated Logistics, when the 10 employees voted to join Teamsters Local 671. But when collective bargaining between the union and Ryder began, Parksite ended the contract with Ryder, took over the warehouse operations and invited all the employees to reapply for their jobs.
Fourteen of the former employees were hired, while 10 — all union supporters — were not. The new operation was to be non-union.
The union filed charges and the Hartford regional office of the National Labor Relations Board investigated. The charges were upheld by a board administrative law judge and the courts.
The workers were rehired in 2009, but it took another year to negotiate the amount of back pay.
Parksite, based in Batavia, Ill., could not be reached for comment Friday.
The wholesaler, Parksite Group, had been accused of violating several labor laws, by refusing to recognize and bargain with the union, and by getting rid of the workers who supported unionizing efforts.
In 2007, Parksite's warehouse in South Windsor was being operated by a contractor, Ryder Integrated Logistics, when the 10 employees voted to join Teamsters Local 671. But when collective bargaining between the union and Ryder began, Parksite ended the contract with Ryder, took over the warehouse operations and invited all the employees to reapply for their jobs.
Fourteen of the former employees were hired, while 10 — all union supporters — were not. The new operation was to be non-union.
The union filed charges and the Hartford regional office of the National Labor Relations Board investigated. The charges were upheld by a board administrative law judge and the courts.
The workers were rehired in 2009, but it took another year to negotiate the amount of back pay.
Parksite, based in Batavia, Ill., could not be reached for comment Friday.
