MACON, Ga., April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The United Steelworkers union (USW) today filed unfair labor practice charges against Blue Bird Corporation, alleging the bus manufacturer’s management broke the law in trying to dissuade workers from forming a union.
“Organizing and collective bargaining offer workers a tried and true pathway to better wages, safer working conditions and a voice on the job,” said USW District 9 Director Dan Flippo, who represents workers in Georgia and six other Southern states. “Management must respect workers’ right to choose for themselves.”
Some 1,400 workers at Blue Bird’s Fort Valley, Ga., facility filed for their union election on April 3 and will vote on May 11 and 12.
“This behavior from Blue Bird, which manufactures school buses, including low-emission and zero-emission models, is especially egregious given the massive amount of taxpayer-funded support it’s gotten,” Flippo said.
Blue Bird has been approved to receive more than $40 million in rebates through the EPA’s Clean School Bus program, funds the agency stipulated cannot be used for anti-union activity.
“Investing in our infrastructure means both building safer communities and creating good, family-sustaining jobs. Blue Bird cannot in good faith claim to be contributing to a brighter future for our children while simultaneously interfering in workers’ efforts to form their union,” Flippo said.
Flippo further called on Congress to quickly pass legislation that would better protect workers seeking to organize.
“Unless Congress passes legislation like the PRO Act, it’s clear corporations will continue their attempts to divide and bully workers,” Flippo said. “Until then, we call on Blue Bird management to change course and respect workers’ right to a free and fair union election.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations. For more information: http://www.usw.org/.
CONTACT: Jess Kamm Broomell, 412-562-2444, [email protected]
SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)