COVINGTON, Va. (AP) -- Covington Paperworkers Union Local 675 apparently has won the right to represent about 900 union members at a MeadWestvaco paper mill.
National Labor Relations Board spokesman Howard Neidig said Thursday the paperworkers defeated the United Steelworkers Local 8-675 by 450 to 411.
Neidig said the board will certify the results in seven days if no challenges are filed. A Steelworkers spokesman was not immediately available to say whether the union planned an objection.
The election was the third to try to determine who will represent the Covington plant's workers.
The paperworkers union was formed in October 2007 and won an election in 2008 to represent the workers, but an administrative law judge later ordered a new election.
The Steelworkers won a Sept. 30 election, but the NLRB said the margin was too close and ordered the runoff election Wednesday.
Roy Hall, president of the paperworkers union, said he hoped to reunite union members to work on renegotiating their contract. He said the union wants improvements in health care, pensions and policies on promotions and transfers.
The Steelworkers had negotiated a six-year contract in July.