Union workers rally outside Daikin for fair pay and treatment

VERONA, Va. (WHSV) – Union workers gathered outside Daikin in Verona on Monday to protest for fair pay and respect.

Sylvia Eaves, president of United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (UE) Local 123, said the company refused to pay unless the union signed another agreement, an LOA. Eaves said he’s not signing it because both sides are in arbitration.

“The union contracts state that if an employee has been here for 60 days, they should be paid the standard top rate, and they’re not doing that,” Eaves said.

Eaves said he hoped the rally would show Daikin that the EU is a united front and will not tolerate being treated unfairly.

“We’ve filed multiple complaints against supervisors who were talking to employees in any way, and that’s not right,” Eaves said. “We want fair treatment, fair pay.”

Eaves said he hopes the issue will be resolved. The EU claimed a union commissioner was unfairly fired in retaliation for his support of his colleagues.

Elbie Stagner, Daikin Applied’s senior director of manufacturing operations, sent WHSV the following statement:

“We have had a productive working relationship with the EU for more than 60 years. And the company has consistently respected the terms of the collective agreements we developed with the union, adhering to negotiated wage rates and other benefits. However, when differences do arise, there is a clearly defined process to handle them through arbitration. We are following the steps outlined in the current ACB and have an initial meeting scheduled with the union and arbitrator in mid-November. We will continue to work with all parties in good faith to address the concerns that have been raised.”