Northern freight liquidator seeks to keep union job as it gears up for strike

An Iowa freight liquidation company that is under fire from the United Food and Commercial Workers union for not offering full-time work to warehouse workers is gearing up for a strike.

The Iowa Fuel Liquidator and Transfer Service (FLAS) is seeking to keep a $3.3 million contract at the company and instead hire more workers at its two distribution centers, the company announced on Thursday.

Flas said in a news release that it will continue to pay warehouse workers for the same hours and work the same shift schedule as the union has demanded since it began negotiations in late April.

But FLAS said that it is also considering offering full or part-time jobs in the industry and has hired additional workers at three distribution centers.FLAS is in the midst of its fourth labor dispute in three years, with the union seeking a 15 percent raise over the last year and a half and a reduction in union dues.

The company says it has offered a 15-percent raise and an average pay raise for workers at the two distribution facilities since then.

Flask said in the news release it will begin to offer jobs at its distribution centers starting this week and would continue to offer such jobs at the distribution centers as long as FLAS was paid at least $1.85 per hour.FLASH is the union representing freight liquiders in Iowa, North Dakota and Illinois.FLAWS is a freight liquidating company with a presence in two Iowa counties, according to its website.