The Teamsters Union holds more elections in transportation and warehousing companies than all other unions combined. And in the last several years they have won over half the elections
they’ve held.

While the number of elections held over time has trended down, the Teamsters’ success in winning them has increased sharply. This growing success in the workplace could portend organized labor’s rising political tides in anticipation of a sweep of the 2008 elections by Democrats.

Further bolstering the ascension of organized labor is political support for the Employee Free Choice Act, which will do away with secret ballot union elections. The Act has passed the House and will likely be approved in the Senate.

Strong political support for the Employee Free Choice Act and the Teamsters’ greater effectiveness in winning elections underscores the necessity of rigorous research on the labor union environment in any community under consideration for a new distribution center or manufacturing plant.