Lennox managers not discussing contract vote

Managers at Marshalltown’s Lennox Plant aren’t commenting on a union vote over the weekend rejecting their latest contract offer, but have said it could endanger the promise of a loan from the Iowa Values fund. Union spokesman Michael Schnelle says workers last month turned down a contract offer from the company because it was inadequate, and the latest offering was no improvement. Schnelle says “they moved some money around,” but the contract offer was basically the same as before. Employees are working under terms of an old contract that expired October 31st. He says the main issues are insurance, pensions and wages and “there’s an incentive plan there.” Schnelle says the workers will stay on the job and the union looks forward to resuming talks with management to reach a new contract. Managers at Lennox have said they wanted to have a new contract in place by a December 31st deadline to get money from the Iowa Values Fund. The company’s been offered a forgiveable loan through the Values fund to refurbish equipment at the plant and retrain workers, but the second “NO” vote in two months may leave the agreement in doubt. Managers say they’ve had an offer to move the plant to South Carolina.