Teamsters and Firefighters Unions Urge Columbus and Other Cities to Boycott Sutphen Corp.
Two powerful labor unions are calling on North American cities, including Columbus, to boycott Dublin-based fire truck manufacturer Sutphen Corp. as a worker strike extends beyond four months.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 284, representing 85 Sutphen workers on strike, and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) are urging city governments to cancel fire truck and fire safety equipment orders until the company reaches a fair labor agreement.
In July, the Columbus City Council voted to cancel a $2.5 million Sutphen ladder truck contract, citing the ongoing labor dispute. The council then approved a replacement contract with Pierce Manufacturing.
According to Teamsters Local 284 President Mark Vandak, Sutphen has violated federal labor laws and used “union busters” to resist fair bargaining. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has already found merit in several bad-faith bargaining charges against the company.
While Sutphen maintains it is negotiating in good faith and continues to produce “the safest fire apparatus in the world,” union leaders argue the company’s tactics have harmed its reputation.
Columbus firefighters say the strike is worsening an already critical issue: the city’s aging fleet of fire trucks. Local 67 IAFF President Steven Stein stressed the urgency of securing new trucks, whether from Sutphen or another reliable manufacturer, to ensure public safety.
Both Teamsters President Sean O’Brien and IAFF President Ed Kelly have pledged their support for the boycott until Sutphen reaches a fair labor agreement with its workers.
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