Based on the solidarity of the Membership and the overwhelming support of the Strike Authorization votes, your bargaining committees made another offer to Libbey management last Friday in an effort to avoid a labor dispute and to reach a fair and equitable resolution to the Libbey bankruptcy.
As you are aware, Libbey management has a motion under Sections 1113 and 1114 with the Bankruptcy Court in Delaware to reject our collective bargaining agreements, freeze our pension plans and eliminate retiree healthcare. The unions continue to bargain and have made a proposal based on the principle of shared sacrifice. Libbey Glass management and the company’s financial lenders shouldn’t expect to reorganize this company on the backs of its hourly workers. E
Shortly after midnight on August 17, Libbey filed with the Bankruptcy Court in Delaware its motion under Sections 1113 and 1114 of the Bankruptcy Code to reject our collective bargaining agreements, freeze our pension plans and eliminate retiree healthcare. Below is a summary of what the company will attempt to impose, which is based upon the Company’s 4th proposal to the unions, which it presented on August 7:
As our negotiations with Libbey continue, management continues to tell us that Libbey’s hourly workers and retirees must accept sacrifices, and that if we don't, the federal court has the authority to impose them.
Your bargaining committees met again this week with Libbey management and the company's attorneys.
We also met with local management in Shreveport and Toledo to present a series of proposals that were aimed at reducing operating cost and improving efficiency by restructuring work and redesigning jobs.
In addition, we proposed administrative changes to further streamline operations and reduce overall cost to the company.
