Truth Staff
ELKHART -- With the labor strike at the local Vincent Bach plant now 335 days old, the union president and the corporate chief executive officer finally agree on one thing: There is little hope for a resolution.
Friday morning, Jerry Stayton, president of the United Auto Workers Local 364, which represents the workers at the Vincent Bach facility on Industrial Parkway, reacted to comments made Thursday by Dana Messina, CEO of Steinway Musical Instruments, Vincent Bach's parent company.
"He's pretty much right," Stayton said when told Messina presented a gloomy outlook for settling the strike. "I'm not optimistic either."
Since the Bach workers rejected Conn-Selmer's contract in October, the union bargaining committee and company representatives have met only a handful of times.
Even if Local 364 accepts all the terms and conditions, only 12 union members would have jobs in the plant, Stayton said.
The company has replaced the bulk of the workers and, to date, about 27 employees have defied their union and walked back into the factory.
"I can't help but think it would have been over if nobody had crossed the line," Stayton said, speculating the union members are doing most of the work and training the replacement workers inside the factory.