Some 141 workers voted for the USW with 137 against in the election on 5 and 6 September. There are still 13 challenged ballots to be resolved at an upcoming hearing at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) before the election results are official.
Kumho Tire, which supplies tyres for auto companies such as Chrysler, Hyundai and Kia, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on union-busting consultants in an effort to prevent USW from organizing the tyre plant.
After narrowly failing to win the first vote in October 2017, the USW filed a complaint to the NLRB accusing the Korean-owned company of illegal conduct in its effort to suppress the union.
IndustriALL and in particular its affiliate, the Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU), which represents over 3,500 Kumho Tire workers in South Korea, have supported the Macon workers in their battle for union representation both before and after the October 2017 election.
Solidarity with Kumho Tire workers in Georgia, USA, from tyre unions meeting in Bangkok in August.
In a ruling in May 2019, Administrative Law Judge Arthur J. Amchan wrote that the company’s illegal conduct was “pervasive” and that it warranted not only a new election, but the “extraordinary” remedy of requiring company officials to read a notice to employees outlining all of the violations.
Kumho’s violations, Amchan said, included illegally interrogating employees, threatening to fire union supporters, threatening plant closure, and creating an impression of surveillance, among other threats to workers.
Once again, Kumho management put pressure on workers not to unionize second time round, imposing one-to-one worker interviews with anti-union consultants in the run up to the September election.
“Too often companies try to bully and intimidate workers who simply want to exercise their right to bargain collectively,” said USW International President Thomas M. Conway. “That is simply a losing strategy. Rather than fighting their own workers, employers should work with them to build a better future for everyone.”
IndustriALL’s general secretary, Valter Sanches, said:
“We congratulate USW on this result and due respect must be given to workers who bravely stood up for the right to join a union against a history of threats and intimidation from the company. We urge Kumho Tire management in Macon to recognize the vote and work with USW representatives to secure a fair contract.”
Disclaimer: All third-party opinions expressed via IASWI accounts linked to and from this page are those of the individuals concerned and do not necessarily represent those of IASWI or its affiliates. No copyright infringement is intended nor implied. To discuss this disclaimer or the removal of appropriate credit for materials of which you hold copyright please contact us. All the third party videos and contents found on workers-iran.org is not hosted on our servers; all third party videos or contents are hosted on a third party site. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and news sources on the www.workers-iran.org do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the IASWI or official policies of the IASWI. These posts are only generated for the purpose of information sharing on the labour related issues.