Last Day of Work for Maytag Employees in Newton

It’s easy to forget stories like this with all that’s going on (especially on a day when we get linked from MyDD), but today is the last day of work for most of the remaining Maytag employees in Newton.

As a canvasser going door to door in Newton (among other cities) over the summer, I heard firsthand how frustrated folks were with what had happened. I think our fears that the shutdown would have far-reaching political implications have luckily proven false, but union strength in Newton was certainly a bit weaker this year, and it’s a safe bet that this had something to do with it.

From the Register, whose coverage of this story has generally been pretty good:

“I’m sad,” production worker Machell Phifer said this week. “I’m scared.”

The cuts will leave about 660 workers in the washer-dryer factory, where the work force was about 2,600 four years ago.

Also quoted is Ted Johnson, president of the UAW local:

The average Maytag production worker earns about $19 an hour. “Locally, there’s not anything comparable to what they have now” in wages and benefits, said Johnson.

1 comment December 22nd, 2006