The United Auto Workers announced Monday that the union has filed unfair labor practice charges against Peterbilt Motors.
Peterbilt is a unit of Seattle-based Paccar, the heavy truck manufacturer that locked out more than 700 UAW members in Madison, Tenn. on Sept. 2.
"This company slammed the door on us even though we were -- and are -- ready, willing and able to work," said Mike Pardue, president of UAW Local 1832, which represents workers at Peterbilt.
Ron Ranhaeim, a spokesman for Paccar, told Newport Communications late Monday that the company would have no comment on the UAW charges.
The unfair labor practice charge, which was filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) office in Memphis, states that Peterbilt refused to provide the UAW with information requested by union representatives.
"They came into these negotiations asking for all kinds of cutbacks in our health care and our pensions," said Pardue. "We asked them for documentation about their own proposals, and they said no. Then when we said we couldn't accept their proposals without getting more information, they locked us out."
"This lockout is causing real hardship for our members and their families at Peterbilt," said Gary Casteel, who directs UAW Region 8, which includes Tennessee. "We've made every effort to resolve our differences at the bargaining table, but the company simply refuses to work with us."
"The company's actions in this case are reprehensible," said UAW vice president Nate Gooden, director of the union's Heavy Truck Department.
"First, they refused to give us the information we needed to bargain a new contract. Then, when their delaying tactics made it impossible to reach an agreement, Paccar executives staged a lockout to make our members pay the price for their intransigence."