The debate over unionizing at Nissan’s Canton Mississippi plant continues to divide the 6-thousand workers at the factory. Advocates say they will continue to push until the plant is unionized.
While the Nissan has been in Mississippi for nearly 15 years, the effort to unionize has only taken flight in recent years.
Morris Mock Is a union advocate who says unionizing would help not only the workers it would help the company.
“The Japanese factories. The Mexican factories. These are all unionized. Nissan knows this concept. This would benefit the factory as a whole. You have to have employee input to change anything,” Mock said.
He is part of a group of employees who insist that the company is ignoring health and safety, overusing temporary workers, and treating staff unfairly.
Christopher Milton also supports the union and says company officials are suppressing union support…
“It’s understandable to be scared. Being in Mississippi its conditioning. People have been through a lot of conditioning down south. But we have a right to form a union and have a voice about what is going on in the plant,”
But their opinion is far from unanimous.
Kimberly Irving Is opposed to the union.
“If it was my company I wouldn’t negotiate with the union on anything. Because if you go to Detroit it’s a ghost town,” Irving said.
Employees opposed to the union say it’s a push by outsiders and a small knot of disgruntled employees.
Tanesha Moody Says she sees no reason to pay a union to speak for her.
“If you are not satisfied with your job, why are you still here? If Nissan is so bad, why are you still working for them?” Moody said.
Union activists are pressing for a vote, but they say even if they lose they will try again.
