More than 100 telecommunications workers across North Carolina have voted to remove union representation at Windstream North Carolina LLC, a result that highlights both growing decertification efforts and the state’s broader labor landscape.
The effort was initiated in January by employee Grant Diorio, who filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board seeking a vote to remove the union. Federal law requires such petitions to demonstrate sufficient employee interest before an election is scheduled.
In February, the NLRB approved an election agreement allowing in-person voting over three days at multiple sites. Ballots were cast by employees in plant, commercial, and traffic departments across 11 locations, with a simple majority determining the outcome.
The employees voted 61-50 to decertify the Communications Workers of America in a secret-ballot election overseen by the NLRB. The outcome affects a bargaining unit of roughly 120 workers across multiple facilities, including Matthews, Mooresville, Tryon, and Wadesboro.
“Even though my coworkers and I have a variety of jobs for Windstream across North Carolina, we agreed that CWA union bosses were not making our working lives any better,” Diorio said. “I’m glad that, despite the challenges that come with petitioning for a decertification vote to take place at multiple places across the state, we were able to stand firm, secure our rights, and vote this CWA union out. We look forward to being independent.”
Contrast with stalled decertification efforts
The Windstream vote stands in contrast to a separate case previously reported by the Carolina Journal involving workers at The Quartz Corp. facility in Spruce Pine.
There, employees seeking to remove representation by the United Mine Workers of America have been unable to hold a vote after NLRB Region 10 blocked the election under the agency’s “blocking charge” policy. That rule allows union-filed unfair labor practice allegations to delay or halt elections.
Workers in the Spruce Pine case have asked the full NLRB to review the decision, arguing the policy prevents them from exercising their rights under federal law. That request remains pending.
The differing outcomes illustrate how procedural rules can determine whether workers are able to vote on union representation, even when petitions meet statutory requirements.
North Carolina’s labor structure
The Windstream decision also reflects the influence of North Carolina’s right-to-work and at-will employment laws, which shape the state’s labor environment.
Under the state’s right-to-work statute, union membership and financial support cannot be required as a condition of employment. Workers in unionized workplaces may opt out of paying dues, even while remaining covered by collective bargaining agreements.
At the same time, North Carolina follows the at-will employment doctrine, allowing most private-sector employees to be dismissed for any lawful reason or no reason at all.
Supporters say these policies protect individual worker choice and provide flexibility for employers and employees. Critics argue they weaken unions by reducing financial resources and limiting their ability to negotiate stronger contracts.
Public-sector employees in North Carolina are generally prohibited from engaging in collective bargaining, further limiting union activity compared to other states.
Union role and decertification trends
Even in right-to-work states, unions that are certified serve as the exclusive bargaining representative for all employees in a unit, regardless of whether individual workers support the union.
As a result, decertification elections remain the only formal mechanism for workers to remove that representation.
According to NLRB data, decertification petitions have increased significantly in recent years, with filings rising sharply between 2020 and 2025. The Windstream case reflects that trend, as workers pursued a federally supervised vote to end union representation.
The National Labor Relations Act requires the NLRB to conduct elections when a “question concerning representation” exists. However, policies such as the blocking charge rule can affect the timing of those elections.
What comes next
If the Windstream election results are certified, the Communications Workers of America will no longer represent the affected employees, and collective bargaining agreements will no longer govern their terms of employment.
Instead, workplace policies and conditions will be set directly by the employer, within the bounds of federal and state law.
Meanwhile, the pending Spruce Pine case could have broader implications for how the NLRB handles decertification petitions nationwide, particularly as the board considers challenges to its current policies.
