Boeing vows to fight micro union drive at South Carolina Dreamliner plant
Despite two unsuccessful campaigns to unionize employees at Boeings South Carolina Dreamliner plant, machinists are trying again to form a union, this time for a smaller group of workers.
Boeing said its been notified by the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) that the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers has filed its third petition in less than three years to unionize Boeing South Carolina.
Jon Holden, the president of IAM Local 751 in Seattle, said the Boeing mechanics in South Carolina asked the IAM's national office for help to organize because they had concerns about arbitrary management decisions concerning work rules, bonuses and overtime pay awarded in North Charleston.
"They approached us and the IAM strongly supports them, and members of Local 751 in the Puget Sound also strongly support them. Union representation has benefited our communities here," Holden said.
Boeing paid out nearly $600 million in bonuses to Washington state workers, but has not announced bonuses for its South Carolina workers and has not provided details requested by the Puget Sound Business Journal.
The petition is limited to the flight line workers at the North Charleston plant, a tactic Boeing said is commonly referred to as micro-unit organizing.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2018/03/08/boeing-fight-south-carolina-dreamliner-union-drive.html?ana=e_ae_set4&s=article_du&ed=2018-03-10&u=ColXVN5SPzQtLHFP87ho2w07857290&t=1520703134&j=80429861