Remington union, new plant owners at negotiating table
UMW had previously argued that Remarms was working around it
The union representing laid off employees of the Remington Arms gun factory here says it is now in negotiations with the plant’s new owners.
The United Mine Workers had in December complained that Remarms, the new company that purchased the historic factory out of bankruptcy, had been reaching out directly to former employees with job offers.
UMW officials at the time said that was probably unlawful, given the existing contracts in place when the company’s old owners went into bankruptcy proceedings last year. Since then, the two sides have come to the table and are negotiating, said union spokesman Phil Smith.
“The United Mine Workers of America ... have entered into negotiations with the purchasers of the plant, Roundhill, for a collective bargaining agreement regarding terms and conditions of employment at the plant,” Smith said in an email. “We look forward to swiftly reaching an agreement that we can bring to our members for ratification, so that we can begin getting them back to work as soon as possible.”
Roundhill Group LLC renamed the plant Remarms after purchasing it and a handgun barrel factory in Lenoir City, Tennessee, for $13 million in the bankruptcy proceedings.
The Ilion plant makes a variety of hunting rifles as well as arms for police and military use. Of the approximately 700 who had been employed at the plant, 585 were laid off during the bankruptcy.
Remarms, in its earlier letter to laid-off workers, said they wanted to reopen in February.