The Teamsters have been fighting an embarrassing battle against its United Food and Commercial Workers brethren for rights to collect dues from employees of FreshDirect, a New York City grocery novelty. So who won the big vote? Neither! According to a UFCW website:

FreshDirect workers voted against joining a union, but the United Food and Commercial Workers will renew its push to organize the online grocer in the new year, according to reports. Employees of the company, based here, had been courted by both UFCW Local 348S and Teamsters Local 805, but 80% of the 530 warehouse workers who voted over the weekend chose not to organize with either union, the reports said.

It’s not a proud moment when you have to admit 80 percent of the voting public reject you. In politics, it’s a landslide. For today’s organized labor, it’s another day at the office.

And some still wonder why union bosses want to rid themselves of the anonymity of the voting booths that allow such outcomes.

UPDATE: Similar rhetoric from the Teamsters after another election loss can be found at NRTW’s blog.