(The UTU issued the following on December 27.)
CLEVELAND — After hearing arguments of counsel, a federal district court in Akron, Ohio, on Dec. 27 temporarily halted the UTU-SMWIA merger creating SMART that was to be implemented Jan. 1.
On Jan. 4, the court will schedule a second hearing, where the judge will consider whether to lift the temporary injunction and permit the merger to proceed, or make the injunction permanent.
Complainants argued, among other issues, that the UTU membership, which ratified the merger in early August, had not been provided sufficient information.
The proposed merger was unanimously endorsed by the UTU Board of Directors on June 11, and sent out for UTU membership ratification. The SMWIA General Executive Council approved the merger on June 13. SMWIA membership ratification was not required.