Employees of the huge chicken company, Tyson, voted to reject representation by the United Food and Commercial Workers union. More than two-thirds of the 800-plus hourly production and maintenance workers decided that union representation would not be in their best interest. Organizers have been trying to unionize Tyson’s workers since 1971, when representation by the Amalgamated Meat Cutters was rejected by 78% of the workforce.
Workers have continually rejected offers of union representation because Tyson treats its workers with dignity and pays them a fair and reasonable wage.
It is such events that have driven organized labor to insist that Congress pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which we believe should be called the Forced Choice Act. Under the EFCA, organizers will have an opportunity to coerce and intimidate non-union workers, such as those at Tyson, who want to remain union free. It’s important to note that the workers chose to remain non-union in a free and secret-ballot election, which is a hallmark of our democratic society.
One can only wonder what the fate of Tyson and its workers will be when the EFCA becomes law and union organizers personally pigeon hole workers into signing card checks stating that they want to be represented by a union.
