"Unique" labor victory

[Gregory Geboski]

“Employees at Lucent Technologies' former SpecTran cable-manufacturing plant 
in Sturbridge voted by a large margin to join the Communications Workers of 
America...

Lucent workers voted to organize by 223-87, one of the largest 
manufacturing-sector unionization victories in Massachusetts in several 
years.

While AFL-CIO leaders welcomed the move as a possible sign of increasing 
support for unions in battered technology-sector companies, several 
observers noted that the Lucent election appeared to be a unique case in 
several respects.

For one, the CWA faced a far easier situation putting the organization move 
to a vote at Lucent than it would at most other companies.

The Murray Hill, N.J., telecommunications giant agreed in 1998 - when it had 
so much business it was eager to stave off labor unrest - to a neutrality 
pact with the CWA that makes it far quicker to hold organizing votes. The 
agreement also forbids Lucent from lobbying workers to oppose unionizing...”

In other words, given “unique” workplace organizing rights prevailing in 
most other advanced capitalist countries, US workers will vote union.

Complete story: 
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/101/business/Lucent_workers_embrace_union+.shtml

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