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3 October, 2001The UAW describes how U.S. management "barraged workers with distorted, misleading, wrong information" about the union.
USA: Workers at the Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, have rejected union representation by the United Auto Workers. Of the 4,589 votes cast, 1,486 were in favour of the union, and 3,103 against.
In a news release issued immediately after the vote count, the UAW president, Steve Yokich, called the loss of the election at Nissan a "setback for Nissan workers... The fact remains that in the global economy, Nissan workers still need and deserve the seat at the decision-making table that only a union can provide."
Bob King, who heads the UAW Organising Department, described how before the election Nissan workers were shown an in-plant video message stating that workers should not even talk to UAW supporters. "The company also conducted extensive illegal surveillance of Nissan workers who were engaged in leafleting and other pro-union activities in and around the plant," said King. "Furthermore, Nissan workers who were perceived by the company as undecided were forced to attend compulsory meetings, often repeatedly, where they were barraged with distorted, misleading and just plain wrong information about the UAW. Every Nissan technician was subjected on a daily basis to company disinformation about everything from Nissan's relationship with unions in other countries to the basics of Nissan benefits and company policies."
The IMF's general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, travelled to Smyrna to support the organising effort.
In a news release issued immediately after the vote count, the UAW president, Steve Yokich, called the loss of the election at Nissan a "setback for Nissan workers... The fact remains that in the global economy, Nissan workers still need and deserve the seat at the decision-making table that only a union can provide."
Bob King, who heads the UAW Organising Department, described how before the election Nissan workers were shown an in-plant video message stating that workers should not even talk to UAW supporters. "The company also conducted extensive illegal surveillance of Nissan workers who were engaged in leafleting and other pro-union activities in and around the plant," said King. "Furthermore, Nissan workers who were perceived by the company as undecided were forced to attend compulsory meetings, often repeatedly, where they were barraged with distorted, misleading and just plain wrong information about the UAW. Every Nissan technician was subjected on a daily basis to company disinformation about everything from Nissan's relationship with unions in other countries to the basics of Nissan benefits and company policies."
The IMF's general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, travelled to Smyrna to support the organising effort.