Over Bentley's objections, Golden Dragon plant votes for union

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Montgomery Advertiser

Brian Lyman,

Workers at a Wilcox County plant highlighted by Gov. Robert Bentley during his re-election campaign voted to unionize earlier this month, despite the governor's objections.

The outcome was as close as it could be. According to the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees union elections, 75 people at the GD Copper USA plant in Pine Hill voted to join the United Steelworkers on Nov. 7, while 74 voted against.

Objections to the vote were filed with the NLRB on Friday afternoon, which could trigger a hearing on the election. The nature of the objections was not immediately clear Friday. The initial approval came despite pushback from Bentley, who sent a letter to employees before the vote urging them to reject the union.

Daniel Flippo, district director for the United Steelworkers, which represents 18,000 workers in Alabama, said Friday the employees seeking a union were concerned about health and safety issues, as well as wages and benefits.

FULL story at link.



Gov. Robert Bentley talks with Golden Dragon USA President Roger Zhang, left, during an August 29, 2013, tour of the Pine Hill plant while it was under construction. Workers at the plant narrowly voted to unionize on Nov. 7, despite a letter from the governor urging a no vote. Objections have been filed to the election.
(Photo: File )


Read more: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/politics/southunionstreet/2014/11/16/bentleys-objections-golden-dragon-plant-votes-union/19144437/

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This and VW. Funny that Republican's don't want workers to have a voice at work. Unions are run by votes. DUH!

Bentley Letter to Golden Dragon Employees:

[JDPriestly]

1. We have the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, ALEC,

and all kinds of similar trade associations for all kinds of industries, product groups. And then there is the stock market and other organizations that represent the owners, the investors.

But the rights of workers to join trade unions and communicate with employers through their trade unions are governed by complex laws that restrict the speech of the individuals when they form a group that can represent them to the world. I don't understand that.

We need to form groups that represent working people, all kinds of working people, not just factory workers.

[Demeter]

2. +several brazillion

[Kingofalldems]

3. A shocker. The good kind.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Wow paper evidence of

tampering with a Union Election. You no damn well this will not hit a NLRB judge until next year. Watch the Rethugs try to get in front of this and stop or bribe some hearing judge to get this thrown. Do remember this type of thing happening in Wisconsin as a kid. Teamsters were organizing all the Dairy Plants in Northern and Western Wisconsin in 1948 and this type of action by local business people was common. Still remember farmers being brought to town with pitchforks and axe handles to threaten the plant workers. When the Haulers refused to cross the picket lines after two days,it was all done and the plant workers got their representation. That was back in the day of enforcement the Wagner Fair labor Act.

[Cryptoad]

5. Most them people in Alabama ,,,,,

dont like good paying jobs....... They had a net lost of 97,000 jobs over Bentley's last term and they just reelected him and the rest of his cronies.

[turbinetree]

6. RIGHT TO WORK for LESS

Since the Right for Less legislation was instituted this country and it workers are ranked in the following categories compared to other industrialized nations;

As for this right wing hypocrite governor injected himself in a democratically elected union shows what kind of a fascist he really is, its ok for him, but its not ok for a majority that voted in the USW even if it was by 1 vote in my book that is a majority, congratulations are in order that you will now have UNITED VOICE in work place instead of employee committees that are nothing more than fronts I say you will be ranked in the following

[CANDO]

7. What the fuck is wrong with this picture?

We now have sitting Governors and Senators(in TN) actively working against their citizens exercising their rights. And that would be the right to organize in your workplace. Why do they hate democracy in the workplace? And another deceitful meme against organizing is that there would be a "third party". No, you fucking dipshits...there is no 3rd party when there is a union. When you join a union, you are the union...and therefore you are not a 3rd party, you are just now bargaining collectively for your wages and working conditions.

[SoapBox]

8. Unionized over the Gov. Objections?

Fuck off Gov.!

[yallerdawg]

9. Irony abounds!

Republican Governor Bentley (aka Mr. Burns of "Simpsons" fame) campaigned 4 years ago promising full employment in Alabama, and until then he wouldn't take the governors salary. Just reelected by the not stupid voters of Alabama, he is now on Year 5 of no pay, the state budget is about to blow out, and his reelection campaign highlight of employment is these particular 150 jobs in 4 years.

Golden Dragon is a company out of the People's Republic of China, where everyone including Walmart is 'union.' I can't imagine what is lost in translation here, but Bentley is arguing for the employees to vote no on union so he can procure more desperate low-wage non-union jobs for further exploitation. Golden Dragon received state funding for infrastructure and tax incentives, the usual corporate welfare, from a governor who would not expand Medicaid with free Federal dollars and supports eliminating ACA income-based subsidies altogether. For the not stupid Republican constituency, Bentley identifies as GD Copper.

Wilcox County is the poorest county in Alabama, and has the highest county unemployment rate (just about 14%, Great Depression rates). Is it exploitation, or are the locals appreciative of their governor? For these 150 jobs? Wilcox County voted 68.4% for governor candidate Parker Griffith (D).

[Frances]

10. I can't believe it!

I grew up near Pine Hill and cannot believe the workers voted for the union (even by one vote). I think things must have been pretty bad for the union to be voted in. I am sure there will be lots of dirty tricks to get rid of those who voted for the union. I remember talking to a worker at a plant in Opelika, AL, in the 60s. He said the owners set a standard of production that was impossible to meet, so all the workers misstated what they actually produced. Then if a worker talked union, the owners would fire him for lying on his production sheet.