NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Workers at a South Carolina plant that makes a section for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner have voted for union representation, a rare move in the state with the lowest unionization in the nation.
Slightly more than half of the 127 production and maintenance workers at the Vought Aircraft Industries plant chose representation by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The vote was taken last month, and the company announced the results Tuesday.
In South Carolina, unions represent only 3.3 percent of workers, the lowest rate in the country, according to the state Commerce Department.
''Vought intends to negotiate in good faith with the IAM,'' the Dallas-based company said a statement. ''We will strive to reach a collective bargaining agreement that will allow us to continue to meet the needs of our employees, our customers and the company.''
Union spokesman Bob Wood said workers would be surveyed to find out their concerns and he hopes bargaining will begin soon.
A union Web site notes that while Vought's North Charleston workers make $15 an hour, union workers at Vought and Boeing plants in Nashville, Tenn., and Seattle earn $22 to $32 an hour.
''The people in Charleston are hard workers, and they deserve to be compensated fairly,'' Wood said. ''That's what we're about.''
The union has about 730,000 active and retired members, and 150,000 of those work in the aerospace industry.
Boeing has had to delay delivery of its first 787 by six months, but Vought's chief executive Elmer Doty told analysts last week there is no problem with the quality of the work in North Charleston.
He said Vought is having problems with its suppliers, and fuselage sections shipped to Boeing don't have all the necessary parts.