Tobacco Workers Reject Unionization

A majority of plant workers at the second largest American cigarette company have voted against union representation, reports the Associated Press. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.’s preliminary count was 686 out of 1,320 employees voting against union representation by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Senior vice president of operations Tommy L. Hickman says that the results “ensure that the company will retain its advantage against competitors” and will allow “R.J. Reynolds to quickly address opportunities and challenges.”