Boeing Co. technicians voted to form the first collective bargaining unit at the planemaker's factory in South Carolina, scoring a rare victory for organized labor in a state traditionally hostile to unions.
The "micro-unit" will represent more than 170 flight-line workers, a small subset of the 7,000 or so mechanics who build Boeing 787 Dreamliners in North Charleston. Even so, the result gives the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers a foothold in a so-called right-to-work state. Boeing said it would challenge the election, which it contended was in violation of U.S. labor law.
"Boeing continues to believe that this type of micro-unit is prohibited by federal law," the company said in a statement Thursday. "While we are deeply disappointed with the result and are appealing, we will come together as we continue to deliver on our customer commitments."
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.