Catherwood LibraryILR School

Since flight-line workers at a Boeing plant in South Carolina elected the International Association of Machinists in May, the corporation has refused to recognize the union. The election was certified by the NLRB last week, but the corporation is now appealing a decision that allowed the workers to vote in the first place. Boeing is arguing that the representation election was held for a small sub-section of workers at the plant, otherwise known as a micro unit. Micro-unit organizing was made illegal on the federal level in late 2017. However, the IAM contends that because the labor board certified the election, the company is breaking the law by refusing to start contract talks. A hearing on the issue was already held on March 21, and the NLRB concluded that the flight-line workers have distinct work rules, salaries, licensing requirements, and other unique characteristics that distinguish them from the rest of Boeing’s employees. After the labor board already certified the flight-line workers as a reasonable bargaining unit, Boeing tried unsuccessfully to delay the May 31st election.