Staff Representative for the United Steelworkers Alex Perkins, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing first contract negotiations with Kumho Tires and the events that have taken place during the six-year organizing effort.
Employees at Kumho Tire have been fighting for their right to organize for 6 years. In 2017, Perkins began to speak with those interested in forming a union at the plant. With his organizing efforts, they were able to get nearly 85 percent of the employees to sign a union card. However, at the same time, Kumho Tire began to combat the union drive by holding multiple mandatory daily captive audience meetings and threatened employees with the loss of jobs or potentially the entire plant closing.
Due to these union-busting activities by Kumho Tire, the first election lost by 16 votes. However, the National Labor Relations Board found Kumho Tires guilty of 31 violations, allowing Perkins to renew his organizing efforts in the plant. In 2020, the second election was certified by the NLRB, however after three years of negotiations, the two sides have yet to agree on a first contract.
There are many difficulties in organizing in the South. With only 4.4 percent union density in Georgia, many workers are not well educated on unions and their many benefits and protections. Despite the difficulties, Perkins added that he still fights to educate these workers and hopes to one day have them become a part of the union.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.