Tuftco union workers on stike in Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee(WDEF) – Union workers at the Tuftco plant in Chattanooga are on strike because they feel Tuftco is engaging in unfair labor practices.

Since this past weekend, Tuftco employees who are in the Machinist Union have been picketing outside the Tuftco corporate office on South Haltzclaw Avenue.

"We’re asking for the right to have a voice in the workplace," said Union Representative Keith McFarland who went on to also say Tuftco is refusing to bargain when it comes to employee benefits.

Tuftco administrators declined a News 12 request for an interview. Instead, the company released this statement:

"Unfortunately, the Machinist Union decided to institute this work stoppage after the company offered a wage and benefit package that far exceeds the average manufacturing company compensation plan in the Chattanooga region.

Fortunately, Tuftco Corp. has three other manufacturing plants that are non-union, with two in Dalton Georgia and one in Palmer Tennessee. Accordingly, the individuals involved in this particular work stoppage represent less than 10-percent of Tuftco’s total work force. As a matter of fact, all of our non-union employees, as well as some of our union employees, have crossed the picket lines in Chattanooga and currently there are more individuals working in the plant than those involved in the work stoppage.

We will shift some production to our other plants, in addition to continuing to operate our Chattanooga facility, in order to assure our customers and suppliers that we are conducting ‘ business as usual.’ We do not foresee this work stoppage having any negative impact on the company for the long term.

It is sad that we have seen outside forces unduly influence our employees and convince them to institute this work stoppage which may cause economic hardship for their families."

But employee benefits is only one issue that was raised by employees on strike. The workers told News 12 that excessive mandatory overtime has been an ongoing problem.

"The company schedules mandatory overtime. They have to be here and the guys sometimes want to be able to say I’ve got something to do with my family. I want to be with my family," McFarland said.

Issues involving seniority have also angered employees.

"The company in this case has the ability to take a junior person and move them ahead of somebody that was senior to them," McFarland said. He’s worried that qualified workers who have been employed at Tuftco for a long time are having a hard time moving up within the company. If they don’t move up, they can’t get a pay raise.

Tuftco builds machines that help textile companies manufacture rugs, carpeting and even artificial turf.