The Sheet Metal Workers and United
Transportation Union won’t be combining their organizations anytime
soon.
Ohio-based federal district court Judge John R. Adams
issued a preliminary injunction June 25, putting the planned merger of the
80,000-member UTU and the 150,000 Sheet Metal Workers on hold
indefinitely.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by a
group of disgruntled transportation union members who say they were not made
aware of potential problems between the two unions’ constitutions before voting
by mail last summer.
Adams’ decision means the merger, which
was approved by both unions in 2007 after years of discussions, cannot take
effect until the court fight is played out. The merger was to have taken effect
Jan. 1. It would have created the International Association of Sheet Metal,
Air, Rail and Transportation Workers.
Sheet metal, railroad union merger on hold
August 1, 2008
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