Union workers strike at Sutphen, major Columbus-area firetruck supplier
Union workers at the Sutphen Corp., a Dublin-based firetruck manufacturer that supplies most of Columbus' trucks, have gone on strike.
The approximately 85 workers at the company represented by the Teamsters have been working without a contract since Oct. 12, 2024 and announced on May 28 that they are striking.
Columbus City Council members have been pressuring Sutphen to go back to the table with the Teamsters and negotiate in good faith.
A few weeks ago, on May 13, the council considered a ladder truck purchase from Sutphen and Mark Vandak, president of Teamsters Local 284, warned the council that labor negotiations were going poorly. Vandak said then that a strike was possible, which could delay delivery of any truck the city buys.
A divided council voted 5-4 not to buy the truck from Sutphen for $2.5 million before coming back a week later on May 19 and unanimously approving the truck purchase with conditions.
The ordinance that passed included provisions allowing the city to cancel or impose fees if Sutphen cannot deliver the truck on time. The legislation also asks city staff to negotiate so that the use of nonunion workers, or scabs, would constitute a breach of contract.
Councilmember Emmanuel Remy, Public Safety Committee chair, was not immediately available for comment. Remy previously told The Dispatch that the conditions in the ordinance would protect the city's investment.
Melanie Crabill, a spokesperson for Mayor Andrew J. Ginther's office, said the city is currently only under contract for five pumper trucks that were ordered for about $5.5 million in November 2023. The city is still negotiating contract terms for the ladder truck that the council approved.
In the background of all this, the Columbus Local 67 chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters has made clear that the city's fleet of firetrucks is aging and buying new equipment should be the city's priority.
In a prepared announcement about the strike, Vandak said:
"Sutphen Corporation has a legal obligation to negotiate in good faith over a new contract/ When the union demanded that (the) company return to the bargaining table in May, they arrogantly claimed they were too busy and refuse to meet until June 23. The workforce, firefighters and residents deserve better from a company that is supposed to serve our community and relies on taxpayers for its profits.'
A spokesperson for Sutphen sent this emailed statement:
"Sutphen has and will continue to negotiate in good faith to reach a fair and reasonable agreement for all stakeholders. With multiple meeting dates set on the calendar for the near future, we look forward to continuing bargaining efforts."
According to the Teamsters, Sutphen employees have not received a wage increase since October of 2023 and Sutphen leadership has refused to negotiate.
Sutphen employees have filed seven unfair labor practice charges against Sutphen since August 2023. The company settled with the National Labor Relations Board in April.
On May 1, as part of the NLRB settlement, Sutphen leadership was required to read a notice to all its employees. That notice consisted of a long list of promises, including "we will not threaten to discipline employees and union stewards because they engage in union activities" and "We will not engage in bad-faith surface bargaining ..."
'My co-workers and I are fed up with Sutphen's refusal to bargain in good faith,' said Local 284 union steward and Sutphen employee Jerry Becker in the Teamsters' release. 'This company has been taking advantage of the workforce and violating the public trust for too long. No one is above the law, especially not a company that rakes in millions of dollars from taxpayers every year.'
Government and Politics Reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Union strikes at Sutphen, Columbus-area firetruck supplier in Dublin
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