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Layoffs amid contract talks

Chris Caya WBFO News

A sidewalk along a busy stretch of Walden Avenue, in Cheektowaga, was the scene of a rally, Friday morning. Workers at Wendt Corporation say they're being mistreated.

Workers who unionized at Wendt, in June, are claiming the company has been "dragging its feet" in negotiating a contract. On top of that, Friday morning, ten workers were laid off - according to Iron Workers District Council President James Mahoney.
    
"All we want to do is sit down and work out a fair contract for both Wendt and the workers. We want a fair contract. That's all we want. We want Wendt to be around for a lot of years, and employ our union members, and be successful," Mahoney said.  

In a written statement, Wendt said, they've been to the bargaining table nearly two-dozen times since July - but the union has not responded to most proposals on the table. And the company says, even though they haven't reached a deal, the temporary layoffs were made according to union rules.