WATERVILLE, Ohio — Johns Manville workers from two plants said they have had enough after the union that represents them and company officials have been negotiating a new agreement since March.
Leaders from Teammasters Local 20 and officials from John's Manville said workers are voting right now on Johns Manville's last, best and final offer. That vote expires Friday at 12:01 a.m, which means results are likely to be announced Thursday night.
Right now, employees at Johns Manville in Waterville are actually working under an expired agreement, which had a deadline of April 18.
Back in April, both sides agreed to continue working while engaging in negotiations. In the meantime, workers voted down three different offers Johns Manville proposed.
This past Saturday, the two parties agreed to extend the termination to this Friday at 12:01 a.m. At that time, voting will stop and workers could declare a strike.
Employees said they received a letter from the company detailing what workers can do if a strike is declared.
Johns Manville officials said there are about 570 employees between the two plants. About 480 of those employees are unionized.
In a statement to WTOL, Eric Brown, Director of Corporate Communications for Johns Manville, explained what the company will do if a strike is declared.
"Our goal throughout negotiations has been to reach an agreement that rewards our employees while remaining competitive in the industry. We are hopeful that the revote this week will result in a ratified agreement. However, if the union decides not to ratify the negotiated agreement and engages in a work stoppage, JM has a production plan in place to ensure the safety of our employees and the ongoing capability of our assets. We remain committed to serving our customers and to minimizing any business disruption," the statement said.
Union leaders are not revealing the specifics regarding what employees are upset about just yet, but they said rising healthcare costs continue to be a concern.