CARDS NEO in Grove, OK, formerly owned and operated by Bernice Sanitation, was acquired and became part of the CARDS family of companies in July 2020. The CARDS leadership team, including CEO, Dan Christensen, had their work cut out for them. Much of the equipment was in need of repair and the employees were underpaid, had little to no benefits, and previous management showed little to no respect to the workers. As a result, morale suffered to the point the workers sought to unionize.
CARDS NEO is one of several waste and recycling firms of CARDS Holdings. The company’s foundation for growth and excellence centers on its ability to outperform others in the market. The secret – their employees. CARDS and its affiliates focus on maintaining its reputation for unmatched service and remain committed to the communities they serve by remaining committed to the employees who serve.
Union Campaign
The former Bernice employees at Grove had reached out to Teamsters Local 823 in Joplin, MO before CARDS has even entered the picture. Due to the terrible working conditions and lack of respect a majority of the workers signed union authorization cards. As a result, the union filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to represent the workers at the Grove facility on September 23, 2020. The NLRB ordered an election by mail to be held with ballots counted on December 21, 2020.
Changing of the Guard
The union gained tremendous momentum during the summer months with the Grove facility employees. However, for its purposes, the union acted too slowly in seeking its petition. A very important event occurred on August 16, 2020. CARDS took over ownership and control of the Grove facility.
CARDS moved quickly to change leadership, hire on-site mechanics to care for the equipment, immediately provided badly needed benefits. and began the process of raising the wages of the hard-working men and women in Grove. Most importantly, CARDS, guided by its corporate principles, immediately gave the employees the respect they lacked previously. By the time the union finally filed its petition, CARDS had remedied nearly all the issues created by its predecessor.
Election Campaign
CARDS takes pride in being an employer of choice in its industry. Just five weeks after assuming control of Grove – NLRB petition. CARDS had swiftly corrected many issues, but Rome was not built in a day. CEO, Dan Christensen accepted the challenge – demonstrate CARDS value to the Grove employees.
The NLRB heavily regulates union election campaigns. Christensen knew what must be done. Likewise, his years of experience informed him that a misstep would prove costly. He chose to engage NLRA to manage the employer’s election campaign. Jim Allen and RJ Gearding teamed up to assist CARDS.
Campaign Strategy
NLRA quickly evaluated the situation and determined the best course. Primarily, the company must point to its limited, but impressive track record at Grove. CARDS made incredible improvements in the employees’ working conditions in just five short weeks since assuming control. NLRB rules forbid employers from making promises during an election campaign, but they do not prevent a company from discussing its previous actions.
Campaign Execution
CARDS emphasized the progress of the previous month. Employees enjoyed better wages. CARDS provided benefits, a major source of complaints against its predecessor. The facility hired not one, but two in-house mechanics. CARDS offered advancement training to all helpers to acquire CDL or mechanic certifications. In short, the workforce received the respect due them.
The company asked employees for their support. Management asked the employees to trust the track record. Despite the responsibilities of operating a growing, multi-location corporation, Christensen focused his attention on Grove. He made several trips to the facility to visit with the workers.
Election Results
Within days of the petition filing it became clear the union’s support had eroded significantly. Gearding, Christensen, and local manager Bob London all confirmed independently this fact. Many employees approached the NLRA team and management asking how to make the petition go away. Even still, NLRA and Christensen conducted the campaign as if the company trailed. In short, Christensen’s experience in the industry and NLRA’s experience managing campaigns informed both to not take anything for granted. In fact, that is one of the most common mistakes companies make in these campaigns.
As a result, the company won a landslide victory! The union received only 2 votes from the 27 eligible voters. The employees spoke with a clear voice. They did not need a third-party to speak for them.
Congratulations to CARDS!
