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| Sherry Dudley walks the picket line at PAL Health Technologies Inc. in Pekin, Illinois. |
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Laborers Local 231 members at PAL Health Technologies in Pekin, Illinois, return to work on Monday, February 1, after a four-month strike against the foot orthotics manufacturer.
The 61 workers in the plant walked out on Saturday, October 3, after negotiations ended when the firm refused to discuss a wage package. After winning some Unfair Labor Practice rulings from the National Labor Relations Board, negotiations resumed.
The replacement workers in the plant are dismissed. The union members will be returning according to seniority and skill. The workers will get two wage increases this year and another in 2011, totaling an average of 7 percent.
The PAL strikers wish to thank their many supporters: other Laborers local, the Great Plains Laborers District Council, the Midwest Region Laborers, the United Auto Workers and their central Illinois retirees, Pittsburgh musician Anne Feeney, U.S. Congressman Phil Hare, State Senator Dave Koehler, State Representative Michael Smith, faculty and friends at Illinois State University, and all union members and community members who supported and donated to the strikers.
“We had one solid group of union members who stayed tight and supported each other,” said Robert Schroeder, Local 231’s business manager. “The PAL workers were an inspiration to many and I am very proud to have represented them through this process. Hopefully the return to work will go smoothly and these workers will continue as profitable and productive workers for PAL.”
17th U.S. Congressman Phil Hare (D) of Rock Island visited with the PAL strikers, members of Laborers Local 231, on November 13. The Congressman promised to help assist the strikers with a number of issues.
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