Workers at Julian Electric, an auto parts plant in Lockport, Illinois, lost their election to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) in a devastatingly close tie vote.
A large majority of the 350 mostly Latino workers had signed cards in the lead-up to the vote, but that edge evaporated in the face of a flagrant and sustained union-busting campaign. Even one day before the vote, organizers calculated the union had a lead of more than 70 supporters, but day-of, the vote went 170-170—and in the event of a tie, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) defers to the company.
