Union-busting charges leveled against Peach County’s largest employer as vote nears

Allegations of illegal union-busting tactics have been filed against Blue Bird in Fort Valley as its workers ready to vote on whether to be represented by United Steelworkers.

April 3, about 1,400 workers at the school bus manufacturing facility filed for union election with the National Labor Relations Board. The vote will take place over two days on May 11 and 12.

“The charges involve threats of plant closure, threatening to freeze pay and benefits and drag out the bargaining process if workers vote to unionize, threats of discrimination — that if workers vote for a union, other employers may not hire them — as well as surveillance and interrogation, all of which are illegal under federal labor law,” according to USW spokespersons.

Ted Scartz, senior vice president and general counsel at Blue Bird Corporation, declined comment on the specific allegations of unfair legal practices and denied any wrongdoing by the company.

“As far as the USW’s charges of unfair labor practices, we do not comment on any specific allegations and will respond to such charges through the appropriate channels with the National Labor Relations Board,” Scartz said. “Blue Bird does deny that we have had or made any improper or illegal communications with our employees during the current USW organizing campaign.”

The charges

Wednesday, USW filed the unfair labor practice charges against Blue Bird with the NLRB.

“Organizing and collective bargaining offer workers a tried and true pathway to better wages, safer working conditions and a voice on the job,” Dan Flippo, USW District 9 director, said in a USW news release. “Management must respect workers’ right to choose for themselves.”

Flippo characterized the alleged behavior by Blue Bird management as “especially egregious” given that more than $40 million in EPA’s Clean School Bus program has been awarded to the company, according to the USW release.

USW organizer Maria Somma noted that Blue Bird’s financial reports indicate that the company is not only financially sound but also thriving. Yet, the starting pay for workers at the manufacturing facility reportedly hasn’t increased for more than two decades, she said.

“Their success hasn’t been shared with the people who actually put in the work to make it a successful company,” Somma said.

A worker’s view

Patrick Watkins, who has worked for Blue Bird for 17 years, said he just wants workers to be able to have a fair election on unionization without fear of reprisal.

“We want to form our own union because we need a voice in the workplace on important issues like safety, family and work-life balance,” Watkins said.

In 2018, Watkins said he was among Blue Bird workers who approached USW to unionize. But workers weren’t organized well enough and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he said.

Today, Watkins said Blue Bird workers are well organized and ready to unionize.

Management’s view

Blue Bird management believes that the company is “best served by maintaining a direct line of communication with our workforce without a union’s involvement,” Scartz said.

Blue Bird also released this statement:

“For nearly 100 years, Blue Bird has supported thousands of Middle Georgia employees as well as the communities where we work and serve. In all that time, we have remained union free.

“At Blue Bird, we believe that leadership and team members talking directly with one another is the best way to create a positive work environment and achieve our goals of quality, productivity and increased opportunity and rewards for every team member.

“Although we respect and support the right for employees to choose, we do not believe that Blue Bird is better served by injecting a labor union into our relationship with employees. During the pending election campaign, we have voiced our opinion to our employees that a union is not in the best interest of the company or our employees, but we have respected the rights of our employees and the USW at all times.”

What’s next?

Charges alleging unfair labor practices filed by individuals, unions or employers to the NLRB are automatically investigated by regional field examiners and attorneys, according to the federal agency’s website.

“More than half of all charges are withdrawn or dismissed,” according to information posted on the website. “In cases where an investigation finds probable merit, the majority settle by agreements between the parties. If no settlement can be reached, the regional director issues a complaint detailing the alleged violations.”

The vote on unionization is expected to take place as scheduled regardless of the pace of the investigation and its resolution.

Union protections

USW also called on Congress to quickly pass legislation the union says 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 in the news release. “Until then, we call on Blue Bird management to change course and respect workers’ right to a free and fair union election.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of wage and salary workers who were members of unions was 10.1% in 2022. That’s down slightly from 10.3% in 2021.

The union membership rate of public-sector workers, which was 33.1%, continued to be more than five times higher than the rate of private-sector workers, which was 6%, according to the bureau.

Blue Bird is Peach County’s largest employer, with its main manufacturing facility at 402 Blue Bird Blvd. in Fort Valley. Blue Bird South, the company’s fabrication facility, also is in Fort Valley, while the company’s corporate headquarters are in Macon.

Blue Bird has sold more than 550,000 buses since its formation in 1927 and about 180,000 of its buses are currently in operation, according to the company website.

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries as well as workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.