But labor experts doubt unions will be successful in Palmetto State

By Matthew French
Staff Writer

With the announcement that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union are splitting from the AFL-CIO to form a new coalition of organized labor, South Carolina labor attorneys say the move could mean a stronger push by unions to organize and recruit in the Palmetto State.

The unions that left, which now call themselves the Change to Win Coalition, say they were concerned that the AFL-CIO was too focused on spending capital on projects other than organizing.

“South Carolina has seen a good bit of activity recently, particularly from the Teamsters,” says Mike Carrouth, a labor attorney with the Columbia firm of Fisher & Phillips. “I can see them going after the package, parcel and post type of employees. The coalition plans to funnel money to organizing, and we’ll have to see how successful they’ll be nationwide.”

The popularity of unions has fallen precipitously over the past half century, with about 9% of service employees belonging to a union today, compared to 35% in 1955. Unions in South Carolina, while not nonexistent, are few and far between. Employees at the MeadWestvaco paper mill and the longshoremen are two notable exceptions.

But this summer the Teamsters have been challenging that tradition, setting up local hiring halls. The organization is hoping to take advantage of problems that persist throughout the trucking industry but are particularly prevalent with independent drivers, according to Rick Todd, president of the South Carolina Trucking Association.

“The Teamsters are trying to get into any port they can; they’re not just picking on Charleston,” Todd says. “A few years ago, they formed the Teamsters Port Division that preys on segments of the industry that has difficulties, and they take advantage of that dissent.”

But even with the split and a more narrow focus on recruiting, Carrouth says the Teamsters and any other union looking to recruit in the Southeast might find the regions to be a very tough sell.

“South Carolina was not built up around labor organizations, and there has been an anti-organized labor sentiment for years,” he says. “I think anyone would have a hard time finding any great ground here, largely because employees are scared about losing their jobs if they are seen joining a union.

“I think the Teamsters and the Change to Win Coalition will do a better job with identifying and targeting the companies and industries where organizations have not done a good job addressing employee concerns,” Carrouth continues. “But the companies that would be targeted, largely manufacturing and industrial, see this, too. I think the ultimate impact will be that we see an increase in union organizing activities, but they won’t gain any significant traction.”

Matthew French is a staff writer for the Business Journal. E-mail him at mfrench@charlestonbusiness.com.

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