Trinity employees expected to vote on union organization Friday

Employees of Trinity Structural Towers in Newton are set to vote Friday on whether or not to join a union.

Brian Heins, a representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), said last week that the main reason the employees are pushing to unionize is to get a contract and to have a voice in the operation of the company.

“A union organizer is not called by satisfied employees,” Heins said. “So, obviously, there are some issues there.” Still, he stressed that the attempt to organize a union should not be seen as anti-company.

“When negotiations begin, there is often the feeling that the employees are anti-company,” he said. “We just want a voice that is legally binding.”

Although many employees wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation from Trinity administration, they cited several issues that could be improved, such as work schedules and tighter regulations on safety and how to handle a workplace accident. In addition, some employees cited rules on attendance, which tends to work toward the company rather than the employee. Still, the employees say they want to look forward and keep the plant’s quality as high as possible. They say that for all companies producing wind towers, the Newton Trinity plant is the best.

This attempt to organize a union is not the first at Trinity. Last year, the employees tried to bring in UAW, however that vote failed. This time, however, employees feel more optimistic that the vote will pass. Heins said he hoped the employees and Trinity Structural Towers would look toward the future.

“The idea is that whatever issues have been in the past, let’s start over, make a fresh slate,” Heins said.

Employees will be voting on Friday, and will meet at the Fore Seasons Golf Center at 8 p.m. to hear the results of the voting.

Trinity Structural Towers declined a corporate statement on employees’s attempts to organize a union.