Kershaw worker protests?

[brewthunda]

My wife just drove by Sportsman's Warehouse in East Portland and said that there were folks protesting out front. Big signs saying "Shame on you Kershaw Knives". Something about unfair labor practices.

Anyone know what's up?

Edit - called the store - apparently Kershaw is expanding their building and took bids from non-union construction outfits, so the union is protesting. Sheesh, I thought they were using 8 yr old Bangladeshi slave labor or something. The knife guy at Sportsman's Warehouse said that the protest was actually helping their Kershaw sales.

 

[SPXTrader]

Not gonna get in the middle of a union/non-union debate. Kershaw will do what they consider to be in their best business interests...

 

[CL01]

While I understand & respect Union worker's concern, it's an unfortunate truth that businesses need to look at less expensive ways to do things & stay competitive (Whatever that might be).

 

[SladeGT40]

agreed and i wouldn't want to speculate about anything regarding this. I would just like to say that i hope that any issues if exist are resolved peacefully and to the mutual benefit of Kershaw and union/non-union labor as well as all of us faithful forumites and customers.

 

[DaveReb]

All I can say ,being a Union Wireman, is that I hope Kershaw does the right thing and supports the Union workers and their families.

Davereb

 

[Esav Benyamin]

... or does the right thing and supports the non-union workers and their families, who don't have a labor organization looking out for them.

This whole topic is off-topic, so I guess we can continue ...

I am pro-union from way back when. I remember my grandfather telling us how the union kept our family going through the Depression by protecting good machinist jobs. I also saw how the postal unions lost a lot of their influence over negotiations over the years and this even showed up on the workfloor in the way employees got treated.

But just as workers have an interest in protecting themselves, so do businessmen. A good labor-management relationship should develop benefits for both sides. When this doesn't work out, the union will lose influence over pay and conditions, and eventually, jobs.