Quad City Die Workers Fight For Backpay

by Adam Doster on August 31, 2009 - 11:01am
Progress Illinois

The bad news just keeps coming for the employees of Moline's Quad City Die Casting. Earlier this summer, the company announced it would close the 60-year-old aluminum manufacturing plant after Wall Street giant Wells Fargo refused to extend the credit required to keep it operating. Last week, a company spokesperson told Davenport's WKQC that the business will close for good this Friday, likely costing the local economy millions of dollars. (It's not clear whether the owners of the plant ever made an honest effort to keep the factory running.) Now, with an end date in sight, the union representing the workers says that Wells Fargo is still withholding vacation pay and health insurance benefits owed to the workforce. From a United Electrical Workers (UE) Local 1174 press release:

"Wells Fargo took $25 billion from tax payers to save their skins, but when it comes to thousands of dollars in pay and benefits we have worked hard for, the bank is delinquent in payment! We made millions this summer working hard at Quad City Die Casting, and now Wells Fargo is stepping in to take that money and stiff us on what we have earned." said Deb Johann, Secretary of UE Local 1174.

The union's factory sit-in at Chicago's Republic Windows factory last December also came after creditors refused to cover severance and vacation pay owed to the workers under the WARN Act. The UE press release notes that the National Labor Relations Board "found merit" to charges filed by the union and will issue complaint on non-payment of pay and benefits. But there is no assurance that action will be taken soon.

Just as they have done repeatedly over the past few months, the Quad City Die Casting workers will visit a Wells Fargo branch in Rock Island today to demand what they're owed. The action is scheduled for 3:30 pm this afternoon.