Wisconsin Rapids Ocean Spray workers will hold union vote in February. How does it work?

About 16 union members and representatives and Ocean Spray workers from other locations held a rally Wednesday to support the Wisconsin Rapids employees.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Workers at Ocean Spray are attempting to unionize in Wisconsin Rapids.

According to a release from the local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, 95 workers at Ocean Spray in Wisconsin Rapids have petitioned with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize, and employees will vote Feb. 1 and 2.

On Wednesday afternoon, a group of about 16 union members, representatives and Ocean Spray workers from other locations held a rally outside the Ocean Spray plant on Industrial Street, showing support for employees as they entered and left the facility for their shift change. Most vehicles slowed, and drivers gave a wave or rolled down their windows to chat or take a packet of information.

Dillon Gorman, the business manager for IBEW 965, said he’s organized and attended rallies all over the state at various companies, each time staying the required distance from the property, but offering to share more information with workers about what their options are as they leave or arrive at work. These days, it’s easier to share information about unions, health care options, election information and more, as they can also easily share that online on the IBEW website.

Gorman said they organized the rally in Wisconsin Rapids because workers at the Ocean Spray plant had reached out to the union for more information after they said the company recently changed some working conditions and benefit structures. On Wednesday, workers came from all over the state, including Eau Claire, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Beaver Dam and Janesville to show support.

Mike Stark, a shop chairman at the Ocean Spray in Kenosha, said he heard about some communication issues at the Wisconsin Rapids location, and he wanted to show his support. He’s not part of the same IBEW union, but he said he thought it was important to show support to the workers and be around to answer any questions they may have about unions and how they work.

Mike Oettel also works for Ocean Spray in Kenosha and is the president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 66. He said it was important to show solidarity and that everybody has a voice and vote in the decision.

“If you’re being treated unfairly, there’s always another option,” he said.

The pros and cons of unionizing

Gorman said unionizing gives workers a legal voice at the table, and it’s important to have workers directly from the facility at that table because they best understand the work and their interests. Workers who choose to organize are exercising their rights provided by the National Labor Relations Act and have the opportunity to bargain for fair pay, benefits and working conditions, Gorman said.

Kim Moon, the international lead organizer for IBEW in Wisconsin, said union membership has increased throughout Wisconsin recently, and the concept has become more popular as it gives workers a voice in what’s happening where they work.

Moon said workers are usually nervous ahead of union votes, however, because they’re apprehensive about retaliation or other consequences from members of company management who encourage employees to vote against unionizing (although retaliation for unionizing is illegal).

While union membership has increased in Wisconsin, a recent USA TODAY article reports union membership remained at a historic low last year at 10%. The report named labor laws unfavorable to unions and an increase in union suppression tactics by corporations.

According to another USA TODAY report from last September, the overall rate of union membership dropped in half from 20.1% in 1983 to 10.1% in 2022. According to the same report, more than 24 states have passed “Right to Work” laws, making it more difficult for workers to unionize.

A 2018 article from USA TODAY said those who don’t support unions often argue the groups are money-making schemes, collecting mandatory fees from members and non-members alike, and unions are used as ways to advance political agendas.

What does the unionization process look like?

Gorman said the workers will know soon after the February election if the vote passed or not. The NLRB will be on site those days, and the group sometimes tallies the ballots the same day. The company and union have the right to choose observers for the election, he said.

If the workers vote to unionize, the work will begin to select a negotiating committee who will work along with an IBEW representative to present proposals and bargain with Ocean Spray. Once they come to an agreement, the workers will vote to approve a final contract.

Bob Stone, the international representative for IBEW’s Sixth District, said the process often starts out contentious between workers and management, but in his experience in other situations, most unions and companies eventually see a mutually beneficial arrangement. Union negotiations have come a long way since the 1970s, he said, and the unions and companies have been able to work professionally and find solutions together. In some cases, unions and companies have been able to collaborate on new programs like apprenticeships, as well, he said.

There’s never a perfect solution that fits every situation, however. Stone said there are unions and union leaders that act poorly, just as there are companies and managers that do. Success comes when both parties come together to find a solution that works.

There are options if the group votes to unionize and negotiations do not go well. According to the National Labor Relations Board, a union group in Massachusetts filed an allegation against Ocean Spray in May 2012, saying the company was refusing to bargain and acting in bad faith. The complaint was withdrawn that August.

What is IBEW and who does it serve?

Gorman said Henry Miller originally started the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in the late 1800s to focus on safety. Since starting the union, it has grown to represent a wider industry of electrical and manufacturing work, he said.

According to the local chapter’s website, the local union 965 was chartered in 1937 and covers south central and central Wisconsin. The union originally represented workers in the utility industry, but it has since grown to represent workers in utility, cooperative, manufacturing and professional industries.

Gorman said the Ocean Spray facility has 24/7 shift operations with 12-hour shifts, and it employs workers in maintenance, operations and delivery positions. The local IBEW 965 serves a variety of industries and includes facilities with 24/7 shift operations with maintenance, operations and delivery positions.

While all unions were formed to a specific industry, Gorman said all union contracts provide the same opportunity at the bargaining table, regardless of industry.

Who would be covered by a union at Ocean Spray?

According the IBEW release, if this group unionizes, it will be the fourth Ocean Spray plant to do so., The plant in Kenosha is represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and plants in Markham, Washington, and Middleboro, Massachusetts, are represented by the Teamsters Union.

According to Ocean Spray’s website, its network includes nine processing and bottling facilities in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Texas, Nevada, Washington and Wisconsin, along with Canada and Chile.

Gorman said Ocean Spray has about 30 salaried management positions and 95 employees in Wisconsin Rapids who would be represented by the union.

If approved, the union would represent all full-time and regular part-time production, maintenance and warehouse employees, including apprentices, control technicians, truck drivers and leads employed at 3130 Industrial St. It would exclude all other employees, quality control employees, office clerical employees, professional employees, managers, guards and supervisors, Gorman said.

More about unions: Here’s why the US labor movement is so popular but union membership is dwindling

Contact Caitlin at cshuda@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda.