Workers man the picket line at Lancaster Preferred Partners off Old Tree Drive.
Employees at Lancaster Preferred Partners, which assembles axles and chassis for heavy trucks at 2919 Old Tree Drive, near Centerville, began picketing Wednesday morning over what they label unfair labor practices.
About 60 employees went on strike while 130 workers continued to assemble truck parts, the company said in a release.
The strikers, part of about 80 full-time workers at the plant, said they are being discriminated against in a "systematic attempt to eliminate full-time employees." Many of those still working at the plant are part-timers, they said.
The workers said the company fires full-time employees for production errors, but part-timers go undisciplined and are even rehired after fights or drug use.
"The meat and potato of the matter is they're suspending full-time people, firing full-time people, and temp people do the same mistakes and get no discipline," said an employee.
The full-time staff said they believe the company's aim is to force them out to make room for cheaper part-time labor.
"We want to work. We don't want to stand out here. At the same time, I don't want to feel like I have a target on me when I come to work," said one employee.
Employees said they have been working without a contract since the plant voted to join the United Auto Workers in 2007.
Workers said they want a contract that will act as a "rule book" for the company, so everyone is treated fairly.
Negotiations were under way Wednesday at Heritage Hotel, according to one employee. It included union, employee and company officials.
In the meantime, workers said they hope their absence from the plant will disrupt company production.
"We want to show the company we are a lot more valuable then they think," said a worker, who noted that some employees have been with the plant for 25 years.
"They think temps can just come in and take over our jobs right away. We know the product and we know how to do our job."
"We just want to be treated fairly."
The company said in its statement that assembly lines were running smoothly and production goals were being met.
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