As Santa Claus delivers toys around the world this year, the future of toy production in the North Pole remains unknown.
Claus has asked his elves to accept a contract heavy with concessions but with the promise that he won’t outsource toy production to another location.
Earlier this year, Claus requested bids from states for a toy production facility that would deliver thousands of high-paying jobs. More than 20 states responded with bids, some of which included billions of dollars in taxpayer-supported incentives.
Local union leaders for the North Pole elves say they’re confident Claus is bluffing. Last week, they rejected his latest offer.
However, the head of the International Association of Elves and Gnomes (IAEG) overruled local leaders this weekend to force a contract vote for early in 2014.
In doing so, the head of the IAEG picked a fight with the union’s largest local. The North Pole local represents about 20,000 elves working for Claus.
The IAEG also represents elves working for Keebler and cobblers, and a handful of elevator operators in Des Moines, Iowa.
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