The “Union at Swedwood” talk is starting again.
Union decries Swedwood conditions
Danville’s getting a good reputation as a place that’s business-friendly. The only big union employer in the area is Goodyear, and Goodyear pretty much told the union what concessions they would have to take to keep the plant open in the last round of contract talk. The local USW members stomped their feet a little bit, made a little noise, then did the only rational thing they could do and accepted the company’s terms. I gained a lot more respect for the local USW membership when they did the right thing. Goodyear played fair as well in that situation by telling exactly what was needed, then rewarded the local plant by expanding. That being said, the absolute last thing that Southside needs is a new unionization because that would pretty much destroy economic development efforts in the region.
Now you’ve got this union that is trying to insert itself between the Swedwood workers and the company. The violations noted in the article are quite minor, and the plant seems to be doing well. It seems that this union will do anything to get their name out there.
Building and Wood Workers’ International led a protest against Swedwood Danville conditions on Dec. 7 at the IKEA in Geneva.
Oh, I’m sure that accomplished a lot.
Swedwood maintains it hasn’t violated the agreement and that when Swedwood learned of the claim that workers wanted to join the union, it suggested a secret ballot process to determine the accurate position of workers, Steén said.
“And, we will respect the result of the election process,” Steén said. “This offer has, however, been declined by union representatives.”
Gee, I wonder why? Could it be because this union knows they wouldn’t have a chance in hell of winning? When the company encourages a union referendum, you have to believe that things are going well inside the walls. If you ever wanted a reason on why the “Employee Free Choice Act” (card check) is horrible legislation, all you have to do is point to this example. I’m not totally anti-union because in plants like Goodyear, the USW can actually help with safety issues. I am totally against union thuggery (looking at you on the picket line, USW!) and the way that lots of unions have became mouthpieces for politics.
There still is a small place for labor unions in this country, but Swedwood isn’t that place.
Bruce, I am with you in that I do not like unions as a rule, but recognize that in certain situations they are absolutely necessary. As for a union harassing an employer like Swedwood/IKEA? That is a great way to chase a growing, healthy employer far, far away from Southern Virginia. This area needs more employers like Swedwood/IKEA, not less, and we certainly do not need more union involvement in an impoverished area like ours.
Bruce, I too am no fan of labor unions, I think that they have served a purpose in the past but have by and large become as big a problem and as corrupt as those the unions were formed to oppose. However I have heard rumors that Swedwood doesn’t treat it’s employees very well and also that they use illegals which they continuously rotate in and out of the plant. Take it for what it is, a rumor from an employee at Swedwood.
Now about Danville being a “good business climate”, I’m not sure I agree. I believe that there are a lot of things the city could be doing to draw employers into the city, but they are too focused on high-tech and large employers and are probably letting a lot of smaller employers with good, albeit low-tech jobs go elsewhere. But I digress…
It is a laugh to say danville has a good business climate. I recently brought two new businesses to Danville and had a terrible experience. Very uncooperative nature of city departments. As a result one company is locating in the county where they received a warm reception. The other company became so discusted that they moved to North Carolina.
As to Swedwood don’t be fooled by their slick PR person. I have talked to many employees both present and former and they relate the rough conditions at the plant. The problem sems to be that they hired a lot of former Dan River supervisors who think they are still at Dan River. They regularly curse, belittle, and punish employees which hjas dramatically lowered the morale at the plant. Also they had DCC create a program for training and now doesn’t want to hire the graduates since they have to pay them a higher wage. So they haver now switched to temp. employees that they can fire at will and immigrant workers who will work for low wages.
They have had several changes in their human resource department but little progress has been noted. Also, the union did not just “show up”. they were requested by a large group of employees who were tired of their treatment.
Don’t blame all the problems on unions. Put it where it belongs, on the greedy corporations who inflate executive salaries, eliminate safety procedures, and use workers as throw away pieces of raw material.
Do not belittle the need for unions and what union members do for their community. Where would Danville be without the Goodyear employees. A good union brings it members good wages (Danville could use some good wage jobs) but it also brings safety into the work place (don’t think that even GY has not tired to get away with some things). Remember why unions were formed, there was a strong need for them. The Swedwood article states that employees were concerned over safety issues and their treatment by supervisors. Union is not a dirty word.
Reply: I never said a word on what union members do for their community. What people do for their community should have absolutely nothing with union membership.
Watchman, those are exactly the same things I have heard about Swedwood. Also about Danville being “friendly to business”, that is a joke, any small businessman will tell you that isn’t so. I blame it on the fact that Danville is still largely run by the same old “old money” folks who have always run things and they don’t want any one with “new money” mucking up their grasp on power, or what passes for power in big D.
Wonder what it would do to morale if (since the union is not wanting a secret ballot) employees are intimidated into ‘voting in’ the union out of fear that bad working relationships will be fostered by voting ‘against it.’
Secret Ballot is the only way to do things like this. Otherwise you are asking for trouble.
Additionally, what if card check is the option and it still loses…now everyone in the plant knows who wanted the union (and lost)…wonder what their job security would be?
Lastly, having worked in 2 different places with unions – I noticed that most often the bargaining benefited those who are the least effective employees, and robbed the ones that are better ones by making both making it harder to shred the garbage and by making sure that everyone receives ‘equal pay and benefits’.