L. to r. SEO Carlos Brooks, ISO-ED Don Hamric and IR Mitch Beasley celebrate their union win in front of the Sherwin-Williams sign.
The Boilermakers union celebrates its second organizing win within just two months, as workers at Sherwin-Williams manufacturing and distribution operations in Birmingham, Alabama, voted today in favor of unionizing. Among 84 total workers, 72 voted, with more than 50% in favor of unionizing.
“Their biggest issues were pay, their benefits and safety on the job,” said Southeast Area organizer Carlos Brooks, who headed up the campaign. “It was really exciting to help them and to be a part of impacting change and empowering the workers.”
This was the first organizing effort led by Brooks—one of three campaigns he is leading. International Rep Mitch Beasley and ISO-Executive Director Don Hamric assisted.
“Carlos Brooks deserves the credit for this win,” said Hamric. “He hit the ground running and stayed ahead of what workers needed to make sure they understood what was at stake.”
“The utilization of digital means by Brother Brooks was instrumental in winning the campaign,” added IVP-Southeast Area Jeff Campbell. “I believe this is just the beginning of organizing success in the Southeast Section.”
Brooks said the key was educating workers on the benefit of having a voice at their workplace through a union and being able to sit down to negotiate a contract.
“The entire process was a great experience from start to finish,” he said.
Next steps will be for the new Sherwin-Williams Boilermakers to elect their bargaining committee so they can begin working toward negotiating their first contract.
“With this win for the workers at Sherwin-Williams, last month’s win at BWXT in Virginia and our work at Siemens in California, we are affirming our commitment to growing our union,” said International President Tim Simmons. “These campaigns demonstrate the new direction our union has taken. I could not be more proud of our organizing team.”
Brooks said he’s looking forward to continuing his work and ramping up the next organizing campaigns.
“I’m just really excited about the future of where organizing is going,” he said. “I’m excited about where our organization is going, the future of Boilermakers’ organizing and finding different ways to reach more employees and impact new members.”
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