Two elections were held that day. Workers who install aluminum windows at the company's job sites voted 160-64 to be represented by Iron Workers Local 272. The union has been certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Other workers at an RC Aluminum plant that produces the windows voted 63-50 in favor of Iron Workers Local 698, but the NLRB has challenged 35 ballots, which are now being investigated. A hearing on the challenged votes has been scheduled for August 18.

Fighting to organize workers in both a company's factory and construction sites is unusual in the building industry, and union members are proud and thoughtful about the victories they have won.

Rogelio Garcia, a young worker in the glazing department at the factory, said, "The result of the election is super good. It seems that we have won. The bosses have worked hard to intimidate people. We were not as successful as we thought a few days ago of getting a victory with a wide margin. We must pay attention to talking with and trying to win to our side as many as possible of the 50 who voted 'no.'"

The unity behind the organizing drive was clear at a June 15 rally at the plant gate. Factory workers were joined by large numbers of installers from RC Aluminum as well as other companies, and by many young workers from the union's apprenticeship program.

Noel Johnson, an installer who used to work for RC Aluminum who attended the rally, said the company "would probably be a lot happier if they hadn't put the workers from the plant on the same job as us. We didn't mind telling them how much we made, and when we told them they said 'but we make only $7,'" which can be as little as one-half of what a union installer can earn.

Johnson pointed out that as they discussed together the conditions they face, "that's when all the union organizing got started." A July 15 picnic organized by the Ironworkers brought together some 300 unionists with their families and supporters. They gathered to confidently prepare for the final week leading up to the election, knowing the company would continue its campaign of slanders against the union.

In the weeks before the vote the company fired four factory workers-- one on the morning after the June 15 rally in front of the plant-- and then fired two installers the day of the vote.

The bosses held in-plant meetings to show workers Spanish-language anti-union videos, and on election day had 16 office secretaries go to cast ballots. These are among the 35 votes being challenged by the NLRB. In the first week of August the NLRB ruled that RC Aluminum must take back to work the four factory workers it had fired.

At a July 25 meeting called by the Iron Workers union, workers celebrated their victory and discussed the company's campaign to wear workers down in the hope that another election could then be held under conditions more favorable to the company. Workers reported that on the day of the vote the employers announced they were cutting out overtime.

Union supporter Orlando Lopez later stated that the bosses are now offering it only to opponents of the union. Because most workers in the plant make about $6-7 per hour, many depend on the 50–60 hours per week they'd been working to pay the bills. Lopez added that after the election company security guards were given guns, provoking an incident in which workers called the police. Under pressure, the company was forced to disarm the guards.

Workers at the meeting encouraged each other to stay strong in the fight. When one worker became worried that the union didn't win by an "overwhelming majority," Alba Huentes, the only woman worker on the production line, responded, "This is the wrong way to look at this. We scored a victory. We have the majority on our side. Let's begin there and try to make the majority bigger."

Many liked the way Orlando Lopez put it: "We swam in the deep for so long. Are we going to drown now that we are near shore? United we are strong and I have confidence we can win."

Unionists at the meeting were especially concerned about reports that the company was trying to blame workers for low production. Enrique, the lead of a crew in the glazing department made up overwhelmingly of union supporters, said his crew found itself without work on Monday morning after the vote and had to stand around work tables for hours.

Several parts necessary to complete the window assembly were missing, and the workers were not allowed to go look for them, as they had done previously. Enrique said this was unprecedented. Workers welcomed the suggestion by union officials that they document in detail every such case and turn it into the union as evidence, which can be presented to the NLRB, of the company's dirty practices.

If the union is certified at the factory, then another union meeting will be called where workers can put forward their demands for wage rates, hours of work, union representation on the shop floor, and benefits. Union officials said they will then put these together in a contract proposal to be discussed by the workers before it is presented to the company.

Production worker Manuel Urcuyo commented, "We still have a big challenge in front of us after the representation vote. But we're not going to stop struggling. After three years of trying, and talking, and arguing for a union we finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. In about two weeks we may get the final word that we won the vote. Then we'll face the battle for a contract. That will be the big one. We need to work for more unity in the plant."