Complaint will delay UAW revote at JCI plant
Automotive News | May 7, 2008 - 3:00 pm EST
Complaint will delay UAW revote at JCI plant
Johnson Controls Inc. has agreed to toss out the results of a March election in which workers at its Alabama factory voted down the UAW.
But a separate charge of unfair labor practices against the supplier could delay a new election for several months — and buy the union some much-needed campaign time.
On March 14, workers at Johnson Controls’ Cottondale, Ala., factory voted against UAW representation by a 2-1 ratio.
A day earlier, workers at a Johnson Controls factory in Madison, Miss., also rejected the union. That vote was 213-145.
Bones of contention
The UAW immediately filed objections with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the supplier of interfering with both elections. Among the union’s claims: Johnson Controls threatened to close the Cottondale factory, which supplies seats and headliners to nearby Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., if the UAW won.
Johnson Controls has denied the allegations but on April 9 agreed to set aside the results of the Alabama election and hold another vote without going through the NLRB hearing process. The supplier has made no such offer regarding the Mississippi election, according to the NLRB.
In a statement sent to Automotive News, Johnson Controls spokeswoman Debra Lacey said the supplier agreed to rerun the Alabama election “in an effort to resolve the issue of representation and avoid a significant delay in being able to more effectively collaborate with our work force.”
Put on hold
The agreement could have allowed another election to take place almost immediately. But five days earlier, the UAW had filed a charge of unfair labor practices against management at the Cottondale plant. That charge accuses Johnson Controls of intimidating and harassing employees because of their pro-union stance.
Since the UAW has not filed a request to proceed, another election cannot take place until the NLRB completes its investigation of the unfair-labor-practices charge, says Doug Marshall, the NLRB’s resident officer in Birmingham, Ala.
“The unfair-labor charges basically block the election until after the investigation is completed,” Marshall said.
The UAW has filed a similar charge of unfair labor practices against management at the Madison factory. The NLRB is investigating the charge, along with the UAW’s original objections regarding the election.
Johnson Controls’ Madison factory supplies interior components to Nissan Motor Co.’s assembly plant in nearby Canton, Miss.
