UAW Gains Eagle Picher Workers

Autoparts Report, June 1, 2001

A majority of workers at Eagle Picher, an automotive supplier in Traverse City, Michigan, have voted to join the UAW. Workers voted in favor of union representation by a 183-103 margin, in a May 24 election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board.

"Workers at Eagle Picher in Traverse City deserve our thanks and congratulations for standing up for their rights during a hard-fought campaign," said UAW President Stephen P. Yokich. "The strong margin of 'yes' votes in favor of UAW representation shows how important it is for workers to have a voice in today's automotive supplier industry."

This is the third UAW organizing victory at Eagle Picher auto supplier facilities during the past ten months, the Union said. Workers at the company's Hillsdale Tool facility in Hillsdale, Michigan, voted to join the UAW in August 2000 by a 340 to 291 margin. In March of this year, workers at Eagle Picher's Wolverine Gasket facility in Blacksburg, Virginia, voted in favor of UAW representation by a 174 to 89 margin.

"Ten months ago, our union had just 17 members who worked at Eagle Picher, at a single facility in Inkster, Michigan," said UAW Vice President Bob King, who directs the union's National Organizing Department. "Today, we have more than 1,200 members who work for Eagle Picher at four facilities."