Management vs. Labor in Kansas

Each year, many businesses are faced with restructuring, mergers, downsizing, contract disputes and other factors affecting relationships between management and employees. BFL&S learned of a situation that began to unfold on Feb. 5 in Girard, Kan., when 39 bargaining-unit employees (production workers and press operators) were locked out of Forms Manufacturing Inc. (FMI) during a union contract dispute. More than four months later, a new contract has been ratified, but not before lawsuits, appeals and the loss of union label work during that period.