Boeing Workers Set to Vote Wednesday Whether to Unionize
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NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — South Carolina has one of the lowest percentages of workers in labor unions, but that could change come Wednesday.
Commercials aired during the Super Bowl focused on the upcoming Mechanics Union vote for Boeing South Carolina workers.
With us being a right to work state, College of Charleston Political Science Chair Dr. Gibbs Knotts says if the vote swings in favor of the labor unions it would be the start of a new era in South Carolina.
Driving up Interstate 26, there are dozens of billboards, including some electronic, that are advertising this week’s big vote.
Both the Mechanics Union and Boeing are spending money to persuade voters to go in their favor.
“Again, being a low unionization state makes it attractive to recruiting companies. Our state is one of the state’s that has the highest levels of poverty and it’s a state where workers make lower wages so it’s not an easy answer and it’s really an interesting question that we’re going to see some really cool results on Wednesday,” Knotts said.
Knott’s says while he doesn’t have an inside scoop on any poll numbers, but he believes it will be close.
He says South Carolina being a non-unionized state for so long could play a role in the results.
This isn’t the first time the union and Boeing have faced off. Back in April of 2015 the union ended up calling off the vote just days before it was supposed to happen.
