By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – On April 7, Masonite Corporation and The Northern Central States Regional Council of Carpenters No. 1733 reached an impasse in negotiations and employees in Marshfield went on strike.

“What we have been negotiating is a multi-year contract,” said Joanne Karimi, Masonite director of human resources for the architectural division.

“Basically, there is a union committee and basically we talk to the union committee. They negotiate on behalf of their members and hopefully you come up with something the union committee endorses.

“The union committee solely endorsed our last tentative agreement. We actually reached two agreements with the union’s bargaining committee. The final tentative agreement was unanimously endorsed by the union committee. So, it was voted down by the union members.”

Karimi said that the tentative agreement included a multi-year contract, as well as an annual starting wage of $19.38 up to $30.80 per hour, depending on the role.

“We also increased vacation for employees during the first year of employment. We also offered an increase in paid rest periods,” she said.

Through the contract, the company would provide additional premiums for specified positions.

Karimi added that the contract included “the opportunity to work additional overtime to meet customer demands.”

“The union walked away from the final tentative agreement that was fully endorsed by the committee, due to the company’s request for an additional six hours of overtime per month needed to meet customer demand,” Karimi said. “That is one of the main reasons – probably the main reason.”

She added that the additional hours wouldn’t always be needed.

“We might need – it’s not automatic every month. We might need it in order to meet customer demand,” she said.

Masonite is considered an essential business and will remain in operation through Safer at Home.

“We would like to have all of our employees back to work as soon as possible,” she added.

Masonite employs approximately 370 in Marshfield.