If a group of normal, reasonably-intelligent and thoughtful people were faced with the choice of either making a relatively minor concession regarding their pay during recessionary times, or else losing their jobs entirely, what would these normal, reasonable, thoughtful, intelligent people do?   They would make the concessions, but keep the jobs that are still putting food on the table and shoes on their kids’ feet.

Now, if a group of dimwitted union thugs were faced with the same choice, what would they do?  They’d reject concessions, and drive their factory to another state.

Union workers at Mercury Marine put their jobs at risk Sunday when they rejected a package of wage and benefit concessions the boat engine maker said it needed or it would move their work to a nonunion plant in Oklahoma.

Union leaders did not immediately release Sunday’s tally but said the vote was “overwhelming” to reject what the company called its final offer.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 1947, represents 850 workers at Mercury Marine, the largest employer in the eastern Wisconsin city of Fond du Lac and the world’s largest manufacturer of boat and recreational marine engines.

Mercury Marine had asked for changes to a four-year contract it signed a year ago. The company had said workers would see no pay cuts under its proposal, but the union said workers were asked give up 2 percent pay raises in each of the last two years of the contract. The average hourly wage now is about $20, the union said.

Mercury Marine issued a statement after the vote saying it will move many of its Fond du Lac manufacturing operations to its facility in Stillwater, Okla., over the next two to three years. The company said it would continue to operate the Fond du Lac facility for now under the terms and conditions of the existing contract, which expires in 2012.

Brilliant move.  This really puts the rocket in rocket science.  Reject the one way that the company’s going to be able to keep you in your job, so that the factory has to be shut down.  I reckon there will be several thousand people in Oklahoma thanking them, however.

Please note, the union workers weren’t even actually being faced with a pay cut.  They were merely being asked to forego raises for the last two years of the contract.  Let’s note also – because 850 union members decided that they wanted to be selfish, money-grubbing morons, upwards of 5,000 people in the Fond du Lac area are going to suffer the economic ripples caused by associated suppliers, as well as non-union administrative personnel, also being put out of jobs. 

I’m glad I live in a right to work state.