Factory Operator, Greene, ME

“The reason I’m here is to fight for everyone that’s in the same boat as me and my coworkers are – we’re just asking for fair wages and working conditions.”   »Download E.J.'s story (PDF)

Earning a Decent Living

For the past 16 years, E.J. Russell has worked in a fiberboard factory in Maine. During that time, E.J. married and had a daughter. With his wife’s salary as a school teacher and his 8-hour shifts in the factory, mixing the paint and coatings used in the facility, E.J.’s family lived a comfortable life and could even afford to buy a home. “The little guy deserves to be happy too, and I’ve worked hard for what I’ve got,” says E.J.

Facing Down Retaliation

But in 2003, the factory was sold to a new owner and things slowly began to change for the worse. By January 2008, the frustration felt by E.J. and his co-workers came to a head when the bonuses that were promised for certain levels of productivity were actually paid at much lower levels, while health insurance premiums were raised significantly. That month, they began looking for a union. When management learned of the employees’ plans, they started “town hall meetings” which were filled with misinformation in order to dissuade them from going ahead with organizing a union.

The workers voted in favor of a union on April 30, 2008. Management objected to the results of the election, which delayed certification of the union until August 2008. During that time, the owner retaliated by closing the plant for a month. When the plant re-opened, the owner had moved half of the machines to one of his non-unionized factories and he only rehired half of the workers. Since then the factory has become much less safe. The “buddy system” used to ensure worker safety was eliminated due to understaffing. As E.J. explains, “they expect more work from less people. Employees are now expected to work 12-hour shifts.” One year later, union members are still in contract negotiations. Even though management claims to be negotiating in good faith, they have repeatedly cancelled bargaining sessions and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to prevent progress on the contract.

Why We Need the Employee Free Choice Act

“Under the Employee Free Choice Act, employers and workers could sit down at the table and work for a fair contract, instead of spending all those resources on changing our minds,” says E.J., who believes provisions to ensure a contract within 120 days would be especially helpful in his situation. “The reason I’m here is to fight for everyone that’s in the same boat as me and my coworkers are – we’re just asking for fair wages and safe working conditions – not for a million dollars. All we want is respect, which goes a long way.”