For years the United Autoworkers Union (UAW) has attempted to organize foreign auto manufacturers in the U.S., but its efforts have largely failed. Indeed, while the UAW continues to represent most production and maintenance workers at the big American car companies’ sites in this country, the union has failed to gain any strongholds within its Japanese counterparts, despite constant efforts over the years.

Now, the UAW is trying again. It was recently announced that the union has filed a petition to represent more than 6,000 employees at Nissan’s Jackson, Mississippi, plant, which has been under siege by the union for years. It now has secured enough interest to at least have the issue put to a vote. Under the National Labor Relations Board’s “quickie election rules,” a vote likely will be scheduled within the next three to four weeks. The UAW lost prior union votes at Nissan in 1989 and 2001. We’ll see if the UAW breaks through this time.