Union revote date set for Boeing Charleston
By Molly Parker
mparker@scbiznews.com
Published Aug. 11, 2009
The National Labor Relations Board has set an election date of Sept. 10 for hourly Boeing Charleston employees in response to a petition an employee has filed for union decertification.
Representatives from Boeing and Machinists union Local 787 agreed to the date during closed-session talks this morning at the Charleston County Courthouse.
“We did not contest the vote,” said Bob Wood, spokesman for the 14-state southern district of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Dennis Murray filed a petition to decertify the 2-year-old Machinists union local on July 30. That same day, Boeing announced it was buying the local fuselage assembly operation from Dallas-based Vought Aircraft Industries, a key supplier for the Dreamliner program.
“It’s time to let the people make up their own minds,” Murray said after the hearing.
It was only within the past two months that the local was officially certified by the national Machinists union, Wood said.
Union campaign starts
Wood, who is based in Dallas, said union officials will spend the next month working to educate workers about the need for union representation in the cyclical aerospace manufacturing industry.
“What the people who are for this (decertification) want is for them (workers) to never again have democratic due process on the job. We are certainly going to work hard to educate and inform everyone at Boeing, at this facility, about how important that democratic due process is.”
Wood criticized Boeing for a memo it distributed to employees — dated Aug. 7 — in which the company says that the NLRB told Boeing that the union plans to contest the decertification election. The memo states: “We have been told that the IAM will oppose the election, arguing that the law allowing this petition should be changed.”
“I will not speak for Boeing, and Boeing does not speak for us,” Wood said.
Boeing supports election
Boeing legal counsel Richard Hankins, of McKenna Long & Aldridge in Atlanta, said the memo was based on the company’s understanding of the union’s intentions. The NLRB informed Boeing last week, and again on Monday, that the union was likely to contest the election process, he said.
“We were here to support the employees’ rights to have an election,” Hankins said.
The vote will take place at the Boeing Charleston facility near Charleston International Airport. Currently, about 280 hourly employees are represented by the union, whether or not they are dues-paying members of the union, Hankins said. In right-to-work South Carolina, union membership cannot be forced, though contract terms are applied uniformly.
The contract agreed upon by the Machinists union and Vought was a three-year deal, but it had to be renegotiated after Boeing acquired the plant. The opening up of the contract allowed for employees to petition for decertification, according to Howard Neidig, assistant to the regional director at the NLRB office in Winston-Salem, N.C.
For a decertification election to take place, at least 30% of the work force must indicate via petition that they “no longer want to be represented,” Neidig said.
The NLRB is charged with oversight of the decertification election and certification of the 30% threshold that triggers a secret-ballot election.
Union promises better communication
Murray, of Summerville, a quality inspector at the Boeing facility, said he filed the petition for the decertification vote because he felt as though the union was representing employees poorly.
A little more than a year after Vought workers voted to join the Machinists union, the union voted to ratify a contract. But several workers were angry about how the contract vote was handled, saying union representatives failed to inform most members of an eleventh-hour meeting prior to Vought’s announcement it would be idling its plant for several months.
Wood called the situation with the Vought contract “unusual” but necessary because Vought was preparing to lay off the majority of its hourly workers to account for a slowdown in production demands.
Without a contract, employees would have been let go without callback rights based on seniority, or a guarantee of the same pay upon return, Wood said.
“It was handled as best as could happen,” Wood said. “Going forward, we are working to ensure that the communication is as clear and pervasive as possible.”
Washington vs. South Carolina
Boeing has said that it is eyeing Charleston and Everett, Wash., among other sites, as potential locations for a second Dreamliner assembly line. Wood called that discussion “pie in the sky.”
“They always play communities against each other, and we will not play that game,” Wood said.
Wood accused S.C. officials of touting the state’s work force as the cheapest and says it does workers here a disservice.
“These workers and this state have a lot more going for them than just being cheaper than everyone else,” he said.
Reach Molly Parker at 843-849-3144.
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Comments:
Added:
11 Aug 2009
I do hope that the employees at Boeing understand that decertifying the union would be the worst thing that could happen to them. South Carolina is an at will employment state and the only protection the employees have is a union contract. They would be foolish to give up representation now when they have the opportunity to get a decent contract with Boeing.
Erin NcKee
Added:
11 Aug 2009
Decertifying the union is the best decision the employees of Boeing Charleston could make to ensure the long-term competitiveness of their facility. Hopefully, enough of the workers understand that their competitiveness is the true source of job security and not corrosive union over-reaching. Ironically, the plane they are building, and the supply chain they are a part of, are a testament to the ability of the Machinists Union to over-price its labor and destroy the jobs of its members.
Rastislav Toth
Added:
12 Aug 2009
If you enjoy the work you do and don't mind the overtime go ahead and desertify the contract with the union.
If you like the money and enjoy the overtime and want to have a contract that says you have a break between your life and your job keep the contract.
Your father and mothers and sister and brothers worked to give you some way to control the work hours that you will have and what your life will be like.
Leroy Poole
Added:
12 Aug 2009
Well let's take a look at the whole picture here. Boeing's most profitable commercial programs 737&777. The fact of the matter is that IAM union labor touchs these programs at a high percentage and delivers a quality product on time. The programs that are a drain on the investor's return has less or minimal IAM labor that manufactures it. This type of quality workmanship (custom each one) that flies you and your family more than 30,000 feet above ground takes generations of experience to do it rite. You think the labor relations or labor negotiations are tough? What about the talks Boeing is going (or having)to have with its supply chain for more shared investment. In the case of them buying up Vought S.C (other purchases have taken place)is only the start. If Boeing wants to once again take control of their products and get them to market to generate profits they will get past their emotions and bring the work to where it gets done by IAM labor. It is only common sense if you look at the different programs. The executives can sit back and make these grandios plans on paper, but getting that product manufactured properly is the difference between night and day. I wonder who at the executive level is being blamed for this fabulous plan in the first place? I would be interested in the labor costs on the above programs VS the 7 late 7 and the hurt to Boeings reputation. Things that make you go HHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMM??
Jesse
Added:
12 Aug 2009
Without a union contract, NO ONE in a "right to work for less" state has any job security at all. Unions work for the benefit of the workers, and promote FAINESS in the work place. They also help the Company to treat workers fairly by setting up work rules that promote harmony between the management and the employees. The BOSSES "favorites" must work under the same rules as everyone else, so there is less chance of favoritism, although it is often not eliminated entirely. Union workers just want to get fair pay and benefits for a fair day's work, and to be treated with respect and dignity at work. Without a Union Contract, every worker is on his own, and just doing a good job will not guarantee job security.
Paul Fishburn
Added:
12 Aug 2009
Rastislav - You are an idiot. The problem with the Dreamliner is in fact the weak and faulty supply chain. After all, isn't that why Boeing bought Vought. Erin has the right idea.
Frank Little
Frank Little
Added:
12 Aug 2009
dont let the negativly minded employees tell you how to vote. decertifacation is bad news. vote yes and get a decent wage with cost of living clauses.or you will lose the wage and get less.
steve
Added:
12 Aug 2009
I'm so glad we have guys like Toth,its no wonder our country is going down the tube with people of that mentality.Lets just keep outsourcing until the middle class disappears.wait till you see what your wages will be then.I don't want to hear any whinning when you can't make your mortgage payment!
Paul Richardson
Added:
13 Aug 2009
It seems I struck a nerve with the union hacks on this forum. Judging from the quality of the "thinking" evident in their replies, I understand why they are so worried about their job security.
Frank Little - Not a very careful reader, are you? The point is that this supply chain highlights the fact that Boeing's own Machinists are too expensive to use for producing many of the components for the planes they assemble. Likewise, the union has undermined the viability of its members' main work - assembly. That is why 787 components will arrive mostly complete. Temporary glitches, that have no connection to whether this plant is unionized or not, will not change this simple truth. But then again, you are not a very careful thinker either.
Paul Richardson - There is another reason you should be glad to have people like me and that is to point out to you where your knowledge of economics, history, and politics is poor. Let's start by reminding you that the topic at hand is whether the union is good or bad for the workers at Boeing Charleston. I'm not sure why you brought up "outsourcing" and the "disappearing middle-class" since the only reason this plant and its middle-class jobs are here in Charleston is that Boeing "outsourced" it from a high-cost, unionized region. In other words it bought something from Americans in South Carolina rather than American in Washington. You may know this "outsourcing" by it's other, more popular name - thrift. This no different than what you do when you choose to buy from one store rather than another because their price is too high. How many middle-class jobs have you destroyed with your selfish desire to keep your household profitable?
Paul Fishburn - Just a reminder Paul, people who read the newspaper have probably already heard about how well the union has "protected" its US auto workers. Maybe they've even read what a great job it did for its steel workers. Save the union propaganda for the stupid and illiterate.
Jesse - Nice spin job! The 737 and 777 are legacy programs that have been established for decades. Are you seriously going to compare the 787 to a conventional plane like the 737 that has been turned out by the thousands since 1967? The problems with the 787 supply chain are evolutionary and to a large extent, expected considering the fact that the technologies used on the plane are new. Since you seem to be more evolved than the others, here's another HMMMMMM for you. Why has union membership been plummeting in the US, as a percentage of the work force since the early 1950's, and in absolute numbers since the early 1970's? I mean since it is such an amazing engine of prosperity for the working man?
Rastislav Toth
Added:
13 Aug 2009
If you want to know what kind of honesty from the union you will get here is something for you: On the unions "official" website they claim that at their first open meeting the turnout was "EXCELLENT". The turnout was 16 union people, 2 non-union people to keep them honest and 5 IAM officials. Yes these are people you really should believe because they are so "honest".
Candie
Added:
21 Aug 2009
If the people of Charleston heard what the Union Boss has been saying (about them) in Everett, the de-cert would happen with an 80+% margin.
He basically says ..... Boeing would not open a second Dreamliner line in S. Carolina because people there don't know how to do the work. Apparently, you-all can't be learned nuttin either .....
I live in Everett and would prefer to have all the aircraft built here. That said, I have watched "organized labor" destroy thousands of good local jobs for political and short-sighted Labor goals.
The move of the Boeing Corporate HQ to Chicago was a very strong and pointed message to WA. State. Our politicians, media, and organized labor have chosen to ignore the meaning behind the message. The loss of a Dreamliner line may be the last chance Washington State has to toss off the tired old-timey labor/political chains of the last century. A protection racket cannot be a substitute for vigorous competition and efficiency.
I hope the de-cert happens. I also hope it is by a margin wide enough to convince us that you are serious about competing on the world stage.
Good luck.
James
James
Added:
21 Aug 2009
TO clarify a right to work state for you, it basically means you have to work to keep your job,show up on time , and follow the plant rules and regs. I know this is a new concept for union Employees who sit and sleep in Everett, so i have been told by ppl who have visited. in sc we enjoy our work and take pride in it. We don't just hide behind out seniority and cry to our union overlords when we get threatened with our jobs. We man up and take our licks down here. Unions a bull the union in Everitt is only concerened becouse sc will look ten times better with no union. Unions are for ppl who cant maintain a job on there own and need a panel of there peers to protect them from being fired. i hope the iam goes bankrupt and well see how well your iam pension will fair then when high seniority and retired loose there pensions like the uaw have nothing
tj
Added:
26 Aug 2009
Here Here to you workers dropping the union.
Ras is right, what has the union done for the auto, steel, and now the aviation industry.
Answer, Drive them into the ground.
I work for Boeing Mesa, home to the AH-64 Apache line. I have worked Uninterrupted for 25 years with no Strikes, just pay raises and great benefits every year.
That’s what the strike in Washington was all about. Boeing, trying to stay competitive.
To quote Jim McNerney " We will not let the union drive us out of business as they did to the auto industry!â€
I live in the great state of Arizona, another
right to work state and people and jobs are flocking there. In fact you can't even tell there is a recession except in the housing
industry.So decide for yourselves not not buy into the union propaganda and
Don't Drink the KOOLADE
Roger Forrest
Added:
26 Aug 2009
tj: Please don't make accusations that are simply untrue. Unlike most of you, I actually work on the 787 in Everett, WA. And no, we don't sleep here...we work our behinds off to make up for all of the shoddy work the 'partners' give us. While I am not a union die-hard, I believe in worker's rights. The people building these airplanes in Everett are some of the best aerospace mechanics you will find in the world. I currently work approx. 10 hours a day, 7 days a week for this program, and believe me, none of that time is spent sleeping.
Everett 787
Added:
8 Sep 2009
TO clarify a right to work state for you, it means South Carolina is a right to work for less state with no meaningful input into your working conditions or any "rights".
A friend of mine who was transferred from an electrical job to a lesser job with no consideration of his senority. He showed me his "contract" that the company that included the Company's "Pledge" to honor seniority.
He said the company had less work and there had been cutbacks, but he had seniority on virtually everyone and he was assured he would the last to go. He would turn out the lights.
Then, he said the supervisor's nephew with less seniority and skill was given his job and my friend was demoted to a lesser position. Of course, he was told to train the nephew first. My friend had worked for the company 22 years and was repeatedly recognized for his excellent work.
The "company" contract read that company recognized the importance of job seniority. They pledged to use seniority in job reductions and other job actions.
All my sources said a Company's pledge is not a Contract - that unless the employee had a written contract signed by the company with either his representative's (Union) or his name spelling out the terms and conditions, a Company hires, promotes and fires at their will in South Carolina.
SCvoter
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