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11 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 1/2002
Multinational Saint-Gobain should get down to bargaining with the union at its abrasives plant in Worcester, Massachusetts, the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled.
The UAW union was notified yesterday that the NLRB has certified it as the bargaining agent for the 850 workers employed at the plant.
French-headquartered Saint-Gobain is one of the world's leading glass, ceramics and materials firms, employing some 171,000 people in 45 countries. The UAW organising drive has received strong support from French unions and from the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM).
The UAW won an NLRB-supervised election of the workers at the Massachusetts plant last August 24 - the biggest union organising victory in New England's manufacturing sector in many years. However, instead of recognising the union and commencing good-faith collective bargaining, Saint-Gobain filed objections with the NLRB. The company claimed the election should be invalidated because of statements made by Congressman James McGovern that the workers have a right to join a union. The company accused McGovern of improperly interfering in the election process, and argued that members of the US Congress have no right to speak out in support of workers trying to organise.
The NLRB regional director in Boston threw out the company's objections and recommended that the UAW should be certified as the workers' collective bargaining agent. Saint-Gobain appealed that decision to the full NLRB in Washington, which has now upheld the regional director's findings.
"This is a major victory for the workers at Saint-Gobain Abrasives in Worcester who have struggled so long against incredible employer opposition to join our union," said UAW Region 9A Director Phil Wheeler. "It is also a total vindication of Rep. Jim McGovern who spoke out courageously in support of the workers' right to organise.
"Now the company has an obligation to sit down with us and bargain in good faith a first contract," Wheeler continued. "We look forward to commencing those negotiations very soon."
Throughout the UAW's organising campaign, the Worcester workers have received the support of two unions representing Saint-Gobain workers in France - the Fédéchimie CGT-FO and the FCE-CFDT. The two French unions and the UAW are all affiliated to the ICEM, which has been coordinating international support for the organising effort.
Prior to the election, the French unions urged the Worcester workers to join the UAW and pressed senior management in France to halt the anti-union campaign in the US. On December 19, following a meeting with UAW officials in Paris, the French unions publicly urged Saint-Gobain to "stop its anti-union actions in the United States and thus demonstrate its will to recognise the union and begin collective bargaining with the union in conformity with the ILO Conventions." The core Conventions of the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) protect basic trade union rights, such as freedom of association and collective bargaining.
The UAW union was notified yesterday that the NLRB has certified it as the bargaining agent for the 850 workers employed at the plant.
French-headquartered Saint-Gobain is one of the world's leading glass, ceramics and materials firms, employing some 171,000 people in 45 countries. The UAW organising drive has received strong support from French unions and from the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM).
The UAW won an NLRB-supervised election of the workers at the Massachusetts plant last August 24 - the biggest union organising victory in New England's manufacturing sector in many years. However, instead of recognising the union and commencing good-faith collective bargaining, Saint-Gobain filed objections with the NLRB. The company claimed the election should be invalidated because of statements made by Congressman James McGovern that the workers have a right to join a union. The company accused McGovern of improperly interfering in the election process, and argued that members of the US Congress have no right to speak out in support of workers trying to organise.
The NLRB regional director in Boston threw out the company's objections and recommended that the UAW should be certified as the workers' collective bargaining agent. Saint-Gobain appealed that decision to the full NLRB in Washington, which has now upheld the regional director's findings.
"This is a major victory for the workers at Saint-Gobain Abrasives in Worcester who have struggled so long against incredible employer opposition to join our union," said UAW Region 9A Director Phil Wheeler. "It is also a total vindication of Rep. Jim McGovern who spoke out courageously in support of the workers' right to organise.
"Now the company has an obligation to sit down with us and bargain in good faith a first contract," Wheeler continued. "We look forward to commencing those negotiations very soon."
Throughout the UAW's organising campaign, the Worcester workers have received the support of two unions representing Saint-Gobain workers in France - the Fédéchimie CGT-FO and the FCE-CFDT. The two French unions and the UAW are all affiliated to the ICEM, which has been coordinating international support for the organising effort.
Prior to the election, the French unions urged the Worcester workers to join the UAW and pressed senior management in France to halt the anti-union campaign in the US. On December 19, following a meeting with UAW officials in Paris, the French unions publicly urged Saint-Gobain to "stop its anti-union actions in the United States and thus demonstrate its will to recognise the union and begin collective bargaining with the union in conformity with the ILO Conventions." The core Conventions of the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) protect basic trade union rights, such as freedom of association and collective bargaining.