Kentucky Utilities operations employees vote to retain union

A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the type of vote held by employees at the Kentucky Utilities Company. The employees voted to retain the union that was already in place following a petition to decertify.

Members of the Kentucky Utilities Company have voted to keep a union in place following a petition to decertify.

Twenty-five workers voted in favor of retaining the union − almost 60% − while 17 workers voted to decertify.

The 44 eligible Kentucky Utilities employees will continue to be a part of the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO/CLC, Local 9447-01.

The union represents Kentucky Utilities employees in collective bargaining with the company.

Union employees are production and maintenance employees at KU's Earlington operations areas in Parkway and Green River. the employees included servicemen, linemen, metermen, patrolmen, chief electricians, groundsmen and truck drivers.

In another vote, Aug. 7, employees of LG&E and KU Service Company's field service dispatch department will decide on whether or not to unionize. The five employees eligible to vote are full-time and part-time service dispatchers.

If they choose to unionize, they would join electrical workers, IBEW, AFL-CIO, Local Union 2100.

Reach reporter Kate Marijolovic at kmarijolovic@gannett.com or on Twitter @kmarijolovic.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Operations employees at Kentucky Utilities vote to keep union