The Shadowy World of Union Busting: How Sixt Rent A Car Enlisted a Consulting Firm to Obstruct its Employees' Organizing Efforts

In a startling revelation, a disclosure report has exposed how Sixt Rent A Car, a major international vehicle rental company, hired a consulting firm specializing in "union avoidance" to thwart an organizing drive by its sales agents at the Miami International Airport. The report sheds light on the lucrative and often opaque industry of union busting, where consultants are paid thousands of dollars to persuade workers not to unionize.

Uncovering the Anti-Union Tactics of Sixt Rent A Car

Hiring a Union Avoidance Consultant

Sixt Rent A Car, facing a union drive by its sales agents at the Miami airport, enlisted the services of Labor Pros, a consulting firm that specializes in "union avoidance." The goal of this arrangement was to "educate" the employees about unions, effectively persuading them not to unionize with the Teamsters, a labor union with over 1.3 million members, including tens of thousands in Florida.

The Union Avoidance Playbook

Labor Pros, led by CEO Nekeya Nunn, markets itself as a union avoidance consulting firm that offers a range of services, including labor relations training for managers to help them become anti-union "gladiators," consultation on media strategy for companies facing union drives, and education services explicitly intended to prevent unionization.

The Cost of Union Avoidance

Under the agreement, Sixt Rent A Car reportedly agreed to pay Labor Pros $425 per hour per working day, "plus travel expenses," according to the disclosure report. This is a common practice in the union avoidance industry, where consultants can earn upwards of $200 to $400 per hour, or thousands of dollars per day, depending on the terms of their agreements with employers.

The Consultant's Involvement

Records show that Labor Pros enlisted one of their consultants based in Hollywood, Florida, Luis Alvarez, to handle the job down in Miami. Alvarez is a longtime labor consultant who has been hired in the past to bust organizing drives involving the Teamsters Local 769, which represents over 14,000 workers in Florida.

The Outcome of the Union Drive

Despite the efforts of the Labor Pros team, the Sixt sales agents ultimately voted 12-19 against unionization with the Teamsters Local 769. Union officials from Local 769 either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.

The Rise of Union Drives and the Union Avoidance Industry

The surge in union election filings by U.S. workers in recent years, bolstered by a worker-friendly National Labor Relations Board under the Biden administration and grassroots union drives at companies like Amazon and Starbucks, has led to the growth of the union avoidance industry. This shadowy network of anti-union consultants and employer-side law firms markets itself to employers as a solution to union drives, often employing tactics that have been criticized as deceptive and potentially illegal.

Diversifying the Union Avoidance Industry

The union avoidance industry has also taken steps to diversify its workforce, with consultants like Alvarez and former union organizer Lupe Cruz being hired to target organizing drives among Hispanic and Latino workers. This strategy is part of a broader effort to depict unions as unnecessary, with consultants claiming that companies can achieve inclusivity and worker satisfaction without the need for unions.

The Continuing Battle between Workers and Employers

The case of Sixt Rent A Car and the Labor Pros consulting firm highlights the ongoing struggle between workers and employers over the right to unionize. As more workers seek to organize, the union avoidance industry continues to adapt its tactics, often employing questionable methods to dissuade employees from exercising their collective bargaining rights. This dynamic underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability in labor relations, ensuring that workers' voices are heard and their interests are protected.