When workers go on strike, management has the right to bring in temporary workers. If those workers are not local residents, they will need a place to live. There may not be sufficient space at local hotels and motels.
What then should management do?
Gunite Corporation in Rockford, Illinois wants to bring in 10 trailers to accommodate 96 temporary workers, if a strike if called at the end of its contract with the United Auto Workers. The union has already threatened to strike, if a new contract is not agreed upon.
As an essential tactic of its strategy, the UAW has appealed to the local Zoning Board to deny Gunite the right to house temporary workers.
The Zoning Board of Appeals listened to Gunite workers and their union and voted to deny Gunite the right to house its temporary workers. The issue now goes to the City Council where a two-thirds majority vote is required for Gunite to gain approval for the placement of trailers.
It is obvious that the workers at Gunite have some local political clout and that the union is hoping to use that leverage to prevent Gunite from hiring temporary workers, thus causing Gunite to give in to union demands.
