Tensions have escalated above a strike termed by car technicians at a luxurious motor vehicle dealership in Kearny Mesa.
Management at Mercedes-Benz of San Diego introduced Friday it has fired 20 striking workers, indicating they have blocked other workforce and customers from getting into and exiting the dealership and accused the regional union of “unlawfully condoning and encouraging blatant picket line misconduct in violation of labor guidelines.”
But Pedro Gomez, a technician at the dealership and shop steward at Worldwide Affiliation of Machinists and Aerospace Employees Regional Lodge 1484, mentioned the dealership is striving to intimidate the roughly 30 to 35 members who have gone on strike.
“This is a vintage David and Goliath story,” Gomez explained. “We’re the tiny man hoping to beat the large entity.”
The walkout started on June 17.
In an electronic mail to the Union-Tribune, Mercedes-Benz of San Diego said it terminated the employment of the 20 personnel “out of a issue for the future security of our workers and customers” and on July 7 submitted a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board.
Gomez stated the union will file its very own criticism with the labor board, charging the dealership with wrongful terminations.
When requested about the declare of interfering with staff members and prospects moving into and exiting the ton, Gomez mentioned, “If we’re picketing and clients have to wait for us to cross the driveway, sure that would hinder them from likely straight by … but is it unlawfully harassing them? I disagree.”
Mercedes-Benz of San Diego is 1 of 146 functions across the region in the Penske Automotive Team, headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
The present deal with the Kearny Mesa specialists expired in April and talks involving the two sides have gotten nowhere.
The dealership stated it has available each and every person protected underneath the deal an typical increase of $10,000 on an ordinary income of $120,000 per 12 months.
But Gomez called all those numbers deceptive and explained the crux of the walkout is not centered on wages. “They unilaterally improved a bunch of principles, they’re intimidating our co-workers and putting them on closing see for principles they should really have never ever executed whilst we’re negotiating,” he claimed.
Given that the start out of the walkout, the dealership has advertised to retain the services of substitution professionals. “We are searching for workers to cross the picket line and be a part of other Mercedes-Benz San Diego employees doing the job to keep the Dealership’s services section operating through the strike,” the on line advertisement stated.