Unions File for Election at Reynolds Tobacco
April 5, 2006
Quick links+
April 4, 2006 – A unique alliance of two major unions is calling on the Reynolds American Tobacco Co. in Winston-Salem, NC to grant union recognition and begin bargaining for a contract covering more than 2,000 production and maintenance workers there.
The United Tobacco Alliance for a Voice and Freedom (UTA), a joint effort by the IAM and the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union (BCTGM), is also prepared to go forward with an election if Reynolds refuses to grant union recognition.
“The current National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election process is needlessly prolonged and frequently used by companies to conduct hostile anti-union scare campaigns,” said Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez. “These workers expressed their desire for union representation in a neutral atmosphere and we believe their desire for a voice at work should be respected.”
Workers at Reynolds approached the IAM and the BCTGM following last year’s divisive NLRB election at Reynolds. Both unions have a long history representing the highly-skilled workers at cigarette-manufacturing plants throughout the United States. Additional information is available at www.utavoice.org
