28.06.2008

Snorkel workers vote for union

Employees of Snorkel, the aerial lift manufacturer, sister company of UpRight, both of which are owned by Tanfield, have voted in favour of organising a union at the company's St Joseph plant.

There were around 400 eligible voters of which 370 voted, the final count was 220 in favor of the union and 150 against.

Employees filed a petition in May requesting a vote to organise a union claiming safety concerns, as well as pay and benefit issues.

Snorkel moved into the current facility in 1964 and has not had a union at the plant before, although an effort to organise a union was defeated 10 years ago.

Union officials will now help Snorkel workers to get organised with officers and a board, as well as an agenda of what they want. Not all employees are required to join the union.

Steve Nickel grand lodge representative for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said: “The union won! now we start preparing a negotiated contract.”