Many union supporters date the beginning of their troubles to the departure of a slew of vice presidents and their replacement by outsiders. The manager said he needed the supervisor to cut his budget by that amount. After paying annual bonuses, sometimes as high as 16 percent, for many years, the company paid no bonuses in 1997, and haven't since. They didn't tell the employees, but the higher- ups knew that. Dick Roy, a returns worker, says employees are tired of low and inconsistent pay.
Wages turn on annual individual appraisals, resulting in different pay for the same work.
Workers charge the company plays with budget figures to justify the lack of bonuses. A new wage scale announced last winter gave no increase to the lowest-paid employees, but 5 to 6 percent raises higher up the ladder. Some workers can't even be sure of a full week's pay. The first organizing meeting called by Teamsters Local 340 in late March attracted 250 L.L. Bean workers. The union had brought only 50 brochures.