Gainesville, TX – More than 350 workers at Safran Seats began an unfair labor practice strike on September 24, after their rejection of a tentative agreement for a next contract, which contained mandatory overtime provisions. The workers manufacture airplane seats for commercial airlines and are represented by Teamsters Local 767.

On September 18, the union members voted down the proposed tentative agreement. Local 767 bargaining committee members returned to the table, making it clear that an agreement retaining mandatory overtime provisions would be rejected, but Safran refused to offer a revised agreement removing the provision.

According to Local 767, Safran called on Friday, September 25, to arrange a meeting with the bargaining committee that morning. Committee members arrived at the agreed location, but company representatives did not appear. Several hours after the scheduled start, the company called to cancel. The Teamsters then filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board on September 24 alleging surveillance, coercive statements, and bad-faith bargaining by Safran.

Workers on the picket line repeatedly cited mandatory overtime, which they called “mando,” as the principal reason for rejecting the proposed tentative agreement. Many of the members on strike expressed that they were glad to have voted it down, pointing out that there are enough people who volunteer to work overtime so it didn’t need to be in the contract, and that they stand on their feet for ten-hour shifts, which is already hard or impossible for some workers to do. They also pointed out that during the companies 90-day probationary period, workers are not allowed to work overtime, and with this contract language, they too would be required to work overtime despite lack of full training.

The workers’ demand is straightforward: overtime should be voluntary. By rejecting the agreement and taking their fight to the picket line, Safran Teamsters are demanding a say over how much of their lives the company can claim.

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