Grim Reaper Over I-80: Union Protests Mori Seiki Plant Construction (VIDEO)

Mori Seiki’s arrival in Davis has been widely celebrated because it will bring high quality jobs to town. But at least one group is unhappy with their practices thus far.

The Sacramento-area Carpenters Union has been hanging a banner over I-80 since mid September that says: “Mori Seiki Hurts Our Community. Shame on Them.”

The machine tool maker’s new manufacturing plant will be right next to Digital Technology Laboratory Corp. It will likely bring about 150 highly skilled positions to Davis, many of which would likely be filled by UC Davis graduates.

Local Union 46 says Mori Seiki is actually hindering the town’s economic recovery. The union has been organizing most mornings above I-80 on the Dave Pelz Bike Overpass with a man dressed as a grim reaper and the above-mentioned banner. The grim reaper, according to a flier, represents Mori Seiki. His scythe represents wages and benefits.

I stopped by around 7 am Wednesday morning and they gave me this flier with a bit more information:

“Mori Seiki hurts our community by not requiring area standard wages and benefits to be paid and by not requiring apprenticeship and journeyman upgrade training which benefits the construction trade and the community as a whole.”

Like Davis Patch on Facebook for updates. 

Mori Seiki is using California Takenaka Corporation USA to build the new manufacturing plant. Paul Cohen of Local Union #46 says Mori Seiki and the contractor are participating in a “race to the bottom” in terms of compensation and wages.

He says the problem is that journeyman subcontractors are being hired to work in an environment in which they don’t receive apprenticeship opportunities or upgrade training. This makes the project much cheaper for Mori Seiki.

“It hurts the community as a whole,” Cohen said. “Mori Seiki was part of an economic strategy to come to town to build this manufacturing plant. We’re disappointed that they’re starting off by driving wages down.”

Although Cohen represents a union, he says the group is not making this a union vs. non-union battle.

“They’re not hiring contractors who train the next generation of workers,” Cohen said. “What’s great for Davis are good jobs, where people can make a decent living, get training and advance their skills. When people come in and undercut like these guys are doing, that does not happen.”

I spoke briefly with a spokesperson for Mori Seiki, who was aware of the protesters, but did not yet know the specifics of the situation. She offered the following written statement: 

Mori Seiki USA has hired trusted supplier Takenaka Corporation USA to perform construction of the Mori Seiki Manufacturing USA facility.  As such, Takenaka Corporation is fully responsible for sourcing sub-contractors on the building site.  Mori Seiki is very supportive of the Davis community and is proud to currently employ over 80 local residents at the existing Digital Technology Laboratory (DTL) facility.  Furthermore, the company expects to create approximately 150 additional jobs by building its newest factory in Davis, CA.

Cohen and the union did not have any complaints about Mori Seiki as a whole or the jobs it will provide when the facility opens. They reserved their issues for the construction of the project. 

Cohen says the union’s goal is to create awareness in Davis. He says this is a bad first step.