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Brothers Spark Intellicoat Campaign
Manufacturing workers at Intellicoat in South Hadley, Mass., now have a union because two brothers, one an IUE-CWA local president and the other a non-represented plant employee, worked together with CWA and IUE-CWA staff from concept to victory in a National Labor Relations Board election. The vote: 186-28 for a unit of 225.
Plant worker Bobby Sexton and his brother George, president of IUE-CWA Local 81228, discussed some of the problems at Intellicoat months ago. Management introduced pay cuts ranging from $1 to $4 an hour in various departments and raised the amount workers paid for health care premiums. Arbitrary scheduling and work rules also drove the workers to seek a union.
District 1 Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie got a tip from George Sexton in July, and together with IUE-CWA Representatives Keith Sweeney and Eddie Oakley helped the workers form an organizing committee.
Bobby Sexton, Mike and Bernice Kecki, Debbie Geaughan and others distributed information, did assessments and got 60 percent of the workers to sign a public unity pledge.
George Sexton, who knew plant insiders and had their trust, met several times with the workers to explain the benefits of representation.
"We had people wearing t-shirts and buttons early in the campaign, and that helped push us to an overwhelming victory," Bowie said.
Organizers Paula Samolik of Local 1298 and Migdalia Santiago of Local 1032 also pitched in to help with phone banking as the vote, on Sept. 11, drew near.
The new bargaining unit has not yet been assigned a local.
Plant worker Bobby Sexton and his brother George, president of IUE-CWA Local 81228, discussed some of the problems at Intellicoat months ago. Management introduced pay cuts ranging from $1 to $4 an hour in various departments and raised the amount workers paid for health care premiums. Arbitrary scheduling and work rules also drove the workers to seek a union.
District 1 Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie got a tip from George Sexton in July, and together with IUE-CWA Representatives Keith Sweeney and Eddie Oakley helped the workers form an organizing committee.
Bobby Sexton, Mike and Bernice Kecki, Debbie Geaughan and others distributed information, did assessments and got 60 percent of the workers to sign a public unity pledge.
George Sexton, who knew plant insiders and had their trust, met several times with the workers to explain the benefits of representation.
"We had people wearing t-shirts and buttons early in the campaign, and that helped push us to an overwhelming victory," Bowie said.
Organizers Paula Samolik of Local 1298 and Migdalia Santiago of Local 1032 also pitched in to help with phone banking as the vote, on Sept. 11, drew near.
The new bargaining unit has not yet been assigned a local.