OK Foods Workers In Heavener Vote Down Unionization

Workers at the OK Foods plant in Heavener have voted down unionization, according to Anthony Elmo, a union organizer.

Unofficial numbers show the attempt to unionize failed by a vote of 29 to 26, Elmo told KFSM, the CBS affiliate in Fort Smith.

Despite the failed vote, Elmo says the United Food and Commercial Workers Union plans to file a protest of that vote with the National Labor Relations Board in the next couple days.

The UFCW Local 1000 was trying to bring in 55 maintenance and refrigeration workers at the plant in Heavener.

Elmo says that they feel OK Foods committed unfair labor practices violating the worker's rights.

He claims some of the illegal practices include holding multiple captive audience meetings where the workers were intimidated and threatened with a lock-out.

Elmo says he hopes the NLRB will give the workers another chance to unionize.

OK Foods Trent Goins, CEO of OK Foods released the following statement in response to the vote:

"OK Foods, Inc. is thrilled to announce that the maintenance and refrigeration employees at our Heavener, Oklahoma processing facility have decided against the need to be represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) conducted election. The company is pleased by the outcome of the vote, and does not believe its employees need to pay a union a lot of money nor risk the possibility of strikes or other union complications to have a good job at OK Foods. I am looking forward to continue working with our employees to make OK Foods the best possible place for everyone; I also encourage all employees to come together and work as a team. We sincerely believe no employee will ever regret the decision to defeat the union and wish to thank every team member for their support."