Machinists File With NLRB to Hold Union Election at Boeing’s S.C. Plant

[Omaha Steve]

Source: WSJ

Up to 2,400 workers would vote on unionization

By JON OSTROWER

Boeing Co.’s biggest union filed with the National Labor Relations Board for a vote on unionizing 2,400 workers at Boeing’s South Carolina plant, a move that could stoke new tension in the aerospace company’s long-standing battle with organized labor.

The NLRB would need to review Monday’s filing by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers to determine whether the requirements for a unionization vote have been met. A spokesman for the IAM said the agency would set a date for any election after that review.

The vote plan is the latest round in years of battling over the plant in North Charleston, S.C., Boeing’s first nonunion plant for commercial jet assembly, which the company selected nearly six years ago after several strikes by workers at its main manufacturing base in Washington state.

The IAM said the central concerns of the staff at the South Carolina plant, which makes and assembles major parts of Boeing’s long-range 787 Dreamliner, include mandatory overtime, fair wages and “lack of respect on the shop floor.” The site has struggled to achieve a regular production tempo and Boeing has increased overtime to get caught up.

FULL story at link.



Workers at South Carolina Boeing work on a 787 Dreamliner for Air India at the plant's final assembly building in North Charleston, S.C. The machinists plan to hold an election to decide whether to unionize. PHOTO: REUTERS

Read more: http://www.wsj.com/articles/machinists-file-with-nlrb-to-hold-union-election-at-boeings-s-c-plant-1426518314

[silvershadow]

1. Good. nt

[pnwmom]

2. A vote for the union would be huge. A vote against wouldn't be surprising, unfortunately. nt

[hollowdweller]

3. Would be a huge labor victory

If some of these plants down south would vote the union in.

Then they wouldn't be able to threaten moving down south.

[Vincardog]

4. Agreed

[Populist_Prole]

5. This would be great, and a good way to thwart Boeing's labor arbitrage moves

Alas, it'll be an uphill battle in the deepest crimson of the reddest of red states.

[PSPS]

6. Here we go again

The playbook usually goes something like this: The governor, senators, etc., go to the plant before the election (or on TV or somewhere) and tell the workers that if they vote in the union, their children will be killed. Or something like that.

[Populist_Prole]

7. No doubt

Just harken back recently to the fuss RW pols of Tennessee put up to Volkswagen...and VW wanted the employees to go union. In SC, they only reason Boeing set up that sweatshop was to avoid unions.

Uphill battle. Big time.

[Red1]

8. You Can't Go Wrong

When your Union is strong!!

[mountain grammy]

9. It'll be a fight but a righteous one!

Last edited Tue Mar 17, 2015, 05:14 PM - Edit history (1)

Go get em , IAM!