SMART
Skilled Workers Union Calls On Johnson Controls to Provide Better COVID-19 Protection

Skilled Workers Union Calls On Johnson Controls to Provide Better COVID-19 Protection

June 4, 2020
The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation is concerned company policies could lead to outbreaks and shut-downs.

The outbreak of COVID-19 cases reported by both workers and management at five Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) plants have caused concern.

Essential workers at JCI in Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama. Florida, Texas, Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina, and California worry that the company response to COVID-19 could lead to outbreaks and cause shut-downs.

As of May 6th, twenty-seven cases of COVID-19 have been reported in five plants.  And the Tarboro, NC plant had to temporarily shut down.

Some workers have stayed home without pay or unemployment.

In response, the union, SMART ( International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation), which represents 1,900 workers employed by Johnson, is asking for protections including paid sick leave, plant sanitation, personal protective equipment and hazard pay. 

Twenty-nine  SMART Shop Stewards signed a letter to their coworkers launching the safety petition with the following message: “We can’t afford for JCI to wait another day before they take company-wide action. It is more important than ever that we stand together.”

On June 1, 130 members of SMART Local 2 in Albany, MO walked out over a punitive attendance policy and mandatory overtime at the JCI plant. They voted management’s proposal down 98-32 on May 15. These issues have become health and safety concerns since COVID-19.

“If you have a fever or headaches and you leave work or don’t come in, you have to test positive for COVID-19 or will be assessed points,”  said Anthony Fletchall, SMART Bargaining team member at JCI in Albany, Mo., in a statement.JCI workers in Albany are allowed three unpaid personal days per year, and management recently rejected SMART’s bargaining proposal, partly, for not providing one additional unpaid day. 

Existing attendance policies provide workers in Lexington, KY and Mira Loma, CA up to five sick days per year. Workers in Parsons, KS get sixteen hours paid sick leave per year, and in Huntsville, AL they get one paid sick day per year. Workers in Ponca City, OK, Tarboro, NC, and El Paso, TX have no sick leave at all. In Huntsville, AL, Albany, MO, Ponca City, OK, Parsons, KS, and Lexington, KY the company is not providing any additional sick leave for COVID-19 quarantines, even with a doctor recommended quarantine or when management sends people home due to exposure.

The union said it had requested to meet with corporate leaders, who formed a “crisis command team” led by the Employee Health & Safety division to “ensure our factories… could operate safely,” but a meeting hasn’t occurred.  

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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