Unions File With NLRB to Organize RJR
Posted on: Wednesday, 5 April 2006, 00:00 CDT
By Brian Louis, Winston-Salem Journal, N.C.
Apr. 4--Another attempt at unionizing production workers at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is well under way.
The United Tobacco Alliance for a Voice and Freedom said yesterday that a petition was filed with the National Labor Relations Board to hold a vote on union representation with Reynolds' production workers at its plants in Tobaccoville and Winston-Salem.
In March 2005, workers rejected representation by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers by a vote of 1,185 to 618 after a divisive campaign. This time, the machinists union has joined forces with the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union to form the United Tobacco Alliance.
"We've never done anything quite like this before," said Bob Wood, an alliance spokesman, who was also involved in the previous machinists-union effort.
Wood said that workers are upset that there have not been any desired changes made at the company, including changes to the company's pension plan, one year after the union vote. Reynolds said it is still opposed to unionization.
"We continue to believe that the majority of employees agree with us on the issue of whether unionization would benefit them," said Maura Payne, a Reynolds spokeswoman.
She said that the important thing is for the company and employees to work together on building the company's business and not have another distracting, divisive campaign.
No date has been scheduled for a vote.
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Source: Winston-Salem Journal
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