In an effort to protect workers’ rights during the current pandemic, the IAM is calling for electronic voting in union representation elections. U.S. Reps. Andy Levin (D-MI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) recently led a group of 168 members of Congress in a letter to House leadership supporting the measure.
The members of Congress are requesting that the next COVID-19 legislative package include funding and a directive to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to develop a system to conduct union representation elections electronically.
“During this time of crisis, we must make it easier, not harder, for working people to join together and bargain collectively,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “The health and safety of frontline workers depends on them having a voice on the job, especially when it comes to personal protective equipment and healthcare benefits during this pandemic.”
The National Mediation Board (NMB) has conducted telephone voting since 2002 and internet voting since 2007 in the railway and airline industries. The NLRB had previously halted all union representation elections in response to COVID-19, before resuming elections on April 3.