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The eBearing News
April 6, 2004
USWA Fails in Bid to Unionize
Timken Randleman Plant
copyright © 2004 eBearing Inc.
The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) failed in its attempt to organize workers at
Timken's bearing plant in Randleman, North Carolina. The 60-day campaign ran from
mid-December through mid-February 2004 but failed to gain any significant traction among workers
to sign so-called "check cards".
An agreement in 2000 between Timken and the USWA gave the USWA the option of trying to organize
Timken's nonunion plants.
Since 1947, North Carolina has been a "Right to Work" state, a situation which posed a serious challenge
for the USWA organizing effort right from the beginning. A Right to Work state is a state where
workers -- even in an organized plant -- have the right to not join the union, and cannot be required
to pay dues or an agency fee to the union unless they do join the union.
North Carolina's efforts to attract businesses to the state, in fact, make a point of the atmosphere
there in regards to unions: "North Carolina is a right-to-work state, with a unionization rate
that is among the lowest in the nation."
While carefully not mentioning Timken or the USWA directly, the local Chambers of Commerce and the
Randolph County Economic Development Corp. adopted resolutions in mid-December and mid-January,
officially opposing all efforts to organize local businesses. The Chamber of Commerce resolution,
for example, "encourages our entire community to oppose all such efforts of outside parties and
continue the free, unencumbered communication with management."
RCEDC President Bonnie Renfro said in a statement, "Bottom line, it alters the current positive
business climate in our county so important to our existing business and industry, and our
prospective clients."
By law, the USWA is now barred from engaging in any further organizing efforts at Timken Randleman
for 12 months.
Opened in 1994, Timken's Randleman roller bearing plant is a key factor in the city of less
than 4,000 people. Supporting a payroll of approximately 200 workers, the Timken plant is
Randolph County's 10th-largest employer.
In an effort to improve its tax base, the city of Randleman annexed the then-abutting Timken property
in 2001. Other annexation efforts aim to grow the city's recorded population by as much as 50%.
Randleman's main claim to fame has been as home to NASCAR stock car racing legend Richard Petty, born in
nearby Level Cross. Randleman is home to Petty Enterprises and the recently-opened Richard Petty Museum.
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- by Bruce A. Carr
from individual research,
tips and commercial sources.
Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
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eBearing.com ... for everything that moves™
Entire contents Copyright 1999-2008, eBearing Inc. All rights reserved.
eBearing.com and "... for everything that moves" are registered
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eBearing.com ... for everything that moves™
Entire contents Copyright © 1999-2008, eBearing Inc. All rights reserved.
eBearing.com and "... for everything that moves" are registered trademarks of eBearing Inc.
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