Company responds to warehouse picket

Nov. 17: ELWOOD -- The companies that oversee operations in the Bissell Homecare warehouse, which was the scene of a union picket last week, say workers aren't losing their jobs because they complained or joined the union.

Madison, N.J.-based Maersk Distribution Services Inc. manages the warehouse for Bissell.

In a statement released Friday, company officials said they had no knowledge of past complaints by employees "... and (Maersk) employees at the facility have never observed any of the alleged problems."

Maersk has a contract with Atlanta, Ga.-based Roadlink Workforce Solutions to staff the warehouse, but that contract is coming to an end Jan. 9.

Vince Cimino, the chief people officer for Roadlink, said employees are losing their jobs not because they unionized or complained, but because Roadlink decided not to renew its contract with Maersk.

"It was an overall business decision," Cimino said of the contract termination.

Cimino said the company did not pay below minimum wage or discriminate, as alleged by workers.

"They were paid in compliance with whatever regulations are in place in the state of Illinois," he said. "... We are absolutely within compliance."

About 70 workers are losing their jobs at the warehouse, located at Route 53 and Ira Morgan Road. During a Veterans Day picket at the warehouse, representatives from the United Electrical Workers and the Chicago-based Warehouse Workers for Justice, said some employees were being paid below minimum wage and some experienced discrimination, charges both Roadlink and Maersk dispute.

Complaints on behalf of the workers have been filed with the U.S. Department of Labor, National Labor Relations Board and the Illinois Department of Labor.

Late last week, Roadlink agreed to pay the terminated employees through Jan. 9, said Mark Meinster, international union representative. "We see that as a very good thing," Meinster said.

But Meinster said union officials believe the workers could be retained by Maersk or whatever temp company Maersk hires to replace Roadlink.

"They're already trained to do the work in the warehouse," he said.

Otherwise, it looks like Maersk is firing the workers " ... in order to keep from having to deal with the union," he said.

All of the parties involved in the dispute agree that while Bissell owns the warehouse, it did not have employees in the building and it did not manage the workers. However, Meinster said Bissell is still ultimately responsible for what happens in its warehouse.

"If something happens in my house, I'm liable for it," he said. "We think it's the same thing here."

Last week, Bissell issued a statement saying it was concerned about the allegations of improper labor practices and that the company had advised Maersk that it expects "... full compliance with all appropriate legal and safety standards in the workplace."