SALISBURY, Md. - After workers at Perdue AgriBusiness in Salisbury voted to not unionize, a call to overturn the vote has been made with the National Labor Relations Board claiming Perdue interfered with the election.
Perdue workers in Salisbury voted 21 to 17 in favor of not unionizing during an election held Sept. 28 and 29, according to spokespeople from Perdue and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 27 Union.
"We appreciate the outcome of the voting process and our associates' decision to maintain their direct relationship with the company," a Perdue spokesperson told CoastTV News on Oct. 13. "We have always strived for an environment in which a union would have nothing to offer our associates and remain committed to addressing any issues with honest and frank discussions in an atmosphere of mutual trust, respect and cooperation. We look forward to certification of the results."
The election was not officially closed immediately. The National Labor Relations Board oversees union elections and must certify the results. Jeffrey Hedrick, the union spokesperson, told CoastTV News there have been over 25 examples filed since the election, saying the company interfered and violated federal law.
According to the board, any party may file objections and submit proof within seven days of the vote count. Objections can come if either the employer or union create an atmosphere of confusion or fear of retaliation, thus interfering with employees' freedom of choice.
The United Food and Commercial Workers union has asked the National Labor Relations Board to overturn the vote, which could lead to possible outcomes like:
- Accepting the results from the initial election in late September.
- Calling for a revote. With this option, notice would be posted around the Perdue building regarding election violations.
When workers at Perdue in Salisbury previously announced plans to unionize, they cited safety concerns along with goals relating to wages and fairness in the workplace.