UAW sues Paccar

Nov. 21, 2002
The United Auto Workers (UAW) has filed a $3.5-million lawsuit against Paccar Inc. in federal court in Nashville. The union accuses the truckmaker of
The United Auto Workers (UAW) has filed a $3.5-million lawsuit against Paccar Inc. in federal court in Nashville. The union accuses the truckmaker of violating the federal Worker Adjustment, Retraining, and Notification (WARN) Act at its Madison, TN Peterbilt plant, where workers have been locked out since September 3. The legal action charges that some 500 members of UAW Local 1832, who received layoff notices on August 26, were cheated out of seven weeks' worth of paychecks when the company locked them out. "If you're going to lay somebody off, you have to give them 60 days' notice, and you have to pay them during those 60 days," said UAW Region 8 director Gary Casteel, referring to the WARN act. "Our members didn't get their 60 days." Peterbilt locked out 750 members of Local 1832, including 500 who had received layoff notices, after a contract between UAW members and the company had expired, and the two sides had not reached a new agreement. Steve Williamson, executive secretary of the King County Labor Council, said the Seattle-area labor movement is united in support of locked- out UAW members. "Paccar is based here, and we follow this company closely," said Williamson. "Their actions in Tennessee are just plain wrong. We're going to support UAW members every way we can, and we're going to make sure that Paccar management is aware of our concerns." Officials from Paccar have not commented on the suit.