The challenge of organizing new workers into unions is not that the workers themselves are not interested in gaining union representation. Over the past six months, more than 100 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize. The first Amazon warehouse voted “union, yes!”. Area Director for Organizing Jesse Juarez reports that he hears from techs at car dealerships on a weekly basis who want to be in a union.

No, the challenge is that employers do everything they can to delay votes,muck up who should be in the bargaining unit, intimidate workers from voting for the union, and appeal rulings of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Most importantly, once the workers have stood up to all of that and voted for the union, employers refuse to honor the wishes of their employees to bargain in good faith.

Volvo Cars of Walnut Creek

“Automotive dealerships are hard to organize, let alone secure a first contract for,” said Area Director for Organizing Jesse Juarez. “But in just nine months, District 190 managed to do both at Volvo Cars Walnut Creek, and the 12 techs and parts employees ratified that contract in June.”

Highlights of this first contract include a 35% wage increase for the shop foreman, the establishment of the Union K-20 medical plan, additional floaters, dues checkoff, hard monies in the 401(k), and more.

“This dealership used to be Lawrence Volvo, and it had been an 1173 shop for decades until the new group purchased the dealership and broke the union in 2018,” Juarez explained. “Some of the members were still employed from the Lawrence Volvo days, and they haven’t forgotten what they had and what was taken away when they lost a union contract. When the employer broke his promises, it was time to bring the union back, and in September 2024, the group unanimously voted to regain union representation.”

The union faced long odds against it. “We all know the Labor Board is basically useless right now. And the employer retained the law firm Littler Mendelson to lead their anti-union organizing efforts.”

First, the dealership tried to add other employees to the bargaining unit; the workers walked off the job for four hours, quickly resolving that issue. “The employer folded like cheap lawn chairs,” Juarez crows. “When the employer respects and fears the bargaining unit, good things happen. And it did here.”

The employees kept the pressure on this employer throughout bargaining. Congrats to this group of warriors and to lead negotiator, Business Rep Cindy Gagliardi, who did a tremendous job securing a first contract.

The bargaining committee included members from both the parts department and the mechanics team. This included lead technician John Blakely as well as former members Mollo Ford and Randy Miliken.

“The group is pleased to finally have union benefits again,” Gagliardi said. “Welcome back, brothers!” As reported above, the 27 members across the street at Cole European also ratified their contract. “I’m proud to say that I got both sides of the street under contract,” she adds.

Zum (Oakland)

In March, the union organized the workers at Zum Transportation (formerly First Student) in Oakland, and within two months, those new members ratified their first contract with Local 1546.

“This group of three technicians who fix the buses for the Oakland Unified School District had decertified us, and then they came back,” says Business Rep Jerry Gutierrez. “We got them $3 more per hour, the Machinists 401K plan, and a raise every year—because it’s in the contract and is not just a throw-away management promise.”

MV Transportation in Pinole.

In 2019, the union organized a group of 11 mechanics who repair the city buses in Pinole for WestCat. “After they got a first contract, they decided they didn’t need the union anymore,” recalls Juarez. “But a year later, the employer broke all of their promises, and the group decided it was worth it to rejoin the union.” Juarez reorganized them, and in June, they ratified their new contract.

Guttierez says that the contract includes a wage increase now and each year of the agreement. They’ll also participate in the Machinists 401(k) plan.