Machinists consider second organizing effort at Boeing South Carolina

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is taking another run at organizing Boeing workers in South Carolina, reports the Puget Sound Business Journal.

This time, though, organizers will have an easier time directly contacting the roughly 3,200 eligible workers, thanks to information Boeing had to hand over in April.

The IAM had scheduled a vote in late April. But the Machinists union postponed it, accusing Boeing of spreading misinformation and also saying several of organizers were threatened.

The IAM’s District Lodge 751, which represents about 32,000 Boeing workers in metro Puget Sound, sent a handful of staff to help the first organization effort.

Boeing told the Puget Sound Business Journal that “We aren’t surprised that the IAM plans to continue knocking on the doors of our teammates, many of whom have expressed clearly that they aren’t interested in what the union is selling. The IAM withdrew its petition because it knew it didn’t have the support of Boeing South Carolina teammates and would likely lose the April 22 election. No amount of unwanted home visits is likely to change that fact.”

Dan Catchpole: 425-339-3454; dcatchpole@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @dcatchpole.