The sixth anniversary of a mass shooting at Hartford Distributors in Manchester is next week -- but for nearly two months the distributor’s warehouse employees and drivers have been locked out as the company and the union fight over a new contract.
So will those workers be able to attend the memorial?
While union negotiations are unresolved, both union workers and HDI have agreed to have a temporary truce for next week’s memorial.
HDI attorney, Bud O’Donnell, told NBC Connecticut in a statement:
"Ross Hollander (the company’s president) thought it was appropriate that the company and the union put aside their differences to remember the lives of their fellow employees, which ended so tragically."
O'Donnell said the company has even asked those employees to be involved in the planning of the memorial.
While Teamsters Local 1035 union workers have been picketing at HDI since June 8th as HDI bosses try to work on a new contract for those employees, they said now is the time to take a break in memory of the 8 people killed inside the distribution company in 2010. Two others were wounded. The HDI employee and shooter also turned the gun on himself.
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"We don’t want to bring a labor dispute to do anything to take away from our members that we’ve lost. We’d never do that. we wouldn’t hold that. We want to make sure the families have the right to go onto the property and see it."
The memorial will be held at 7 a.m. on Aug. 3 at HDI in Manchester.
While everyone agrees on paying tribute to those lost six years ago, both sides will continue contract negotiations.
O'Donnell said HDI will have discussions with union officials on Monday about having workers come back to work, even though they’re still in talks.
