The vote was done by mail-in ballot, which can slow down the counting process, however even with a group of 5800 people it is highly unusual for a vote to take this long to count, or more than a few hours. The union says that this is a result of several hundred challenges being filed by the employer to votes cast, which has slowed the process considerably.

Actual counting of the votes is expected to begin on Thursday, April 8 in the afternoon, or on Friday morning. While counting the ballots may only take a couple hours by itself, the counting process may be laden with more challenges to ballots by either party if one party or the other argues that a ballot has been spoiled. Ballots can be spoiled in many ways, including if a worker wrote their name on a ballot, or did not fill it out in a manner in which the intent is clear.

Depending on the numbers, we may find out a result by the end of Friday. Or we may see further delays of weeks or even months if the number of challenges proves greater than the margin by which the vote is decided, which would mean the challenges would be ‘determinative’ and could result in a delay of results being certified until after those challenges are settled by the NLRB.

Many in the U.S. labor movement see this as an important time for the movement and are watching results anxiously.

#BirminghamAL #union #unionElection #Amazon #Alabama #Ballot

The organizing win gives a boost to the IAM’s internationally-backed campaign to unionize thousands more IKEA distribution and fulfilment center workers. The IAM has partnered with a global union federation, Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), to grow leverage in organizing and bargaining with Europe-based IKEA, the world’s largest furniture manufacturer.

The IAM also represents workers at IKEA facilities in Danville, Virginia; Perryville, Maryland; Westampton, New Jersey and Savannah, Georgia. IAM workers at IKEA recently wrote a support letter to Illinois IKEA workers saying the “strong IAM contracts we have negotiated are not just words on paper – it has given us respect and fair treatment on the job.”

In the wood, pulp and paper industries, the IAM also represents workers at Weyerhaeuser, West Rock and Georgia Pacific, among others. The IAM Wood, Pulp and Paper Council recently held a conference to strategize on how to grow power in the sector.

#WashingtonDC #PeoplesStruggles #unionElection #InternationalAssociationOfMachinistsAndAerospaceWorkersIAM #IKEA

Pitt faculty began collecting confidential union cards in January 2018. Their goals include addressing concerns about pay and job security for adjunct and part-time faculty. They also would like to see more academic freedom and greater transparency from the university administration.

“Specific faculty needs differ so much by department and rank,” said Tyler McAndrew, a visiting lecturer in the department of English and member of the Pitt faculty organizing committee. “But even for people on the tenure track, transparency is so important: with regard to tenure requirements, how everyday decisions are made at the university, and who’s deciding to put what money where and why.”

“All this stuff ripples out to the students whether they realize it or not,” said McAndrew. “A union is not just good for us, but will be a positive thing for the students and the university as a whole because our interests are with the students.”

“We’re organizing in the spirit of recognizing the intellectual labor all of us do,” said Mrinalini Rajagopalan, associate professor in the department of history of art and architecture. “A union is a way to bring back a level of dignity to scholarly work and teaching that we’re not seeing. It’s also about preserving what’s working, what’s viable and sustainable and humane in our university atmosphere.”

Graduate students at Pitt filed for their own union election in December 2017. The university administration objected, and the legal process is ongoing.

#PittsburghPA #StudentMovement #PeoplesStruggles #PublicSectorUnions #UniversityOfPittsburgh #unionElection