A group of flight line mechanics at Boeing’s Charleston, South Carolina, Dreamliner plant have voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, giving the IAM at least a tenuous foothold at the factory following two previous attempts to unionize. The 176 workers, known as flight readiness technicians,  won the right to representation following a May 21 ruling by the National Labor Relations Board that rejected an argument by Boeing calling the group an artificially gerrymandered subset of employees. The vote also came just months after the NLRB reversed a decision by the Obama administration that allowed so-called micro-bargaining units, provoking an argument by Boeing that the Charleston effort ran afoul of federal law. However, the IAM argued that the group worked under various employment conditions including wage scales, hours, and supervision that differed materially from those of the other employee groups.

“Today was a victory for the American worker,” said IAM Boeing South Carolina lead organizer Mike Evans. “The 176 men and women flight readiness technicians stood up with South Carolina pride and voted for a better life. They exercised their freedom to join in union and speak with one voice. This election was never just about wages. The men and women wanted dignity and consistency in the workplace. And this vote put them closer to achieving those goals. We hope Boeing does the right thing by agreeing to sit down and negotiate in good faith with the dedicated flight readiness technicians.

Despite the relatively small number of employees involved—Boeing employs some 6,800 people in the Charleston area—it comes as a serious blow to the Chicago-based company, which chose the location to build a large proportion of its 787s at least partly for South Carolina's status as a so-called “right to work” state, where employers or labor organizations legally cannot force workers to join a union to secure a job. Now, Boeing worries the vote could set a precedent at the plant, eroding some of the cost advantages it brought when the company chose to locate a Dreamliner assembly line in a state where, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 2.6 percent of all workers belong to a union.  

For its part, Boeing said it would appeal the NLRB ruling in favor of the union. “Boeing continues to believe that this type of micro-unit is prohibited by federal law,” it said in a statement. “While we are deeply disappointed with the result and are appealing, we will come together as we continue to deliver on our customer commitments.”