KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Some striking workers at the Bannister Federal Complex have begun crossing the picket line and going back to work as the strike against federal contractor Honeywell stretches closer to the 40-day mark.
On Tuesday, the National Labor Relations Board ruled against International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 778, who had charged that Honeywell was not bargaining in good faith with the union, which announced on their website that they will appeal the decision.
“We believe that the NLRB regional office does not have a total grasp of our evidence and we do have substantial evidence against Honeywell,” said the union in a statement on their website.
The union went on strike after rejecting a new contract proposal on October 9th. Honeywell says that their best and final contract offer includes a 13.5 percent guaranteed wage increase and an 11.7 percent increase in pension benefits for existing union workers.
The union says that they are concerned about safety issues at the plant, which makes parts for nuclear weapons, as well as improved benefits and wages.
On their website, the union has warned workers that crossing the picket line to return to work will face fines from the union, but around 80 workers, out of 840 union workers at the plant, have crossed over the picket lines in the last few weeks.
The striking workers have not received a paycheck since October 14, and their health benefits expired at the end of October.