South Carolina is a right-to-work state and an employment-at-will state. Employer-Employee Relations in South Carolina are very stable, and the state consistently ranks as one of the least unionized in the nation. According to Unionstats.com, South Carolina’s 2015 unionization rate is one of the lowest in the country at 2.1% for all employees, and 3.5% for private manufacturing employees. South Carolina has one of the lowest work stoppage rates in the nation, averaging less than 0.01 percent working time lost due to strikes.
In 2015, the unionization rate for the Greenville MSA was only 0.9% (Private Sector). Additionally, Greenville MSA is the least unionized MSA in the United States, as stated in a past Arthur Anderson Study. There have been no reported work stoppages reported in Greenville County in the past ten years.
Greenville is also home to several of the nation’s leading labor law firms. A united community effort is made to minimize the need for unions. This includes an emphasis on good management practices, employee participation, plus an emphasis on positive human relations programs.
Greenville County Employers with Union Representation
| Company | Union | Description |
|---|---|---|
| The Greenville News * | ITU | Newspapers |
| House of Raeford / Columbia Farms * | IBT/UFCW | Processed poultry |
| Ryder Integrated Logistics | IBT | Motor freight transportation |
| Duke Power Company | IBEW | Electric/Gas |
| Pet Dairy - Distribution | IBT | Dairy products |
| PNG Propane | IBEW | Electric/Gas |
| Pomeroy (Tolt Solutions) | IBEW | Customer care center |
| PAE (Defense Support Group) | IAM | DOD supplier (office) |
* Manufacturer. Source: Greenville Area Development Corporation, September 2016
Recent Union Elections in Upstate South Carolina, FY 2011-2016
| Year | Community | Company | Union | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2014 | Taylors | Tolt Solutions | Electrical workers Local 98 | Result: Union Won 22-2 |
| Nov 2013 | Greenville | Romano's Macaroni Grill | National Workers Association (NWA) | Result: Union Lost 25-1 |
| Sept 2013 | Anderson | FedServ | International Union of Operating Engineers (AFL-CIO) | Result: Union Won 2-0 |
| April 2013 | Spartanburg | Copper River Grill | National Workers Association (NWA) | Result: Union Lost 24-10 |
| Feb 2012 | Spartanburg | ALSCO | Teamsters, Local 509 | Result: Union Won 7-0 |
Ten Year Summary of Unionized Workforce Activity
- Work Stoppages: None
- Strikes: None
- Walkouts: None
Would you like more information about Greenville’s work force?
Please contact GADC for more information about our work force, or learn more about the business climate in Greenville.
