Workers at Dana Corp.'s axle manufacturing plant in Cape Girardeau Tuesday voted against affiliating with the United Auto Workers.

The vote was 205 against union representation and 87 for the union.

"The Dana style of management encourages open communication, fair treatment and respect for people," said Dave Blanchard, plant manager. "We don't think that kind of management style requires third-party intervention. We're pleased that the people of Cape Girardeau agree with us."

Dana workers cast ballots over a two-day period on the union question.

The plant, which opened its $23 million, 140-000-square-foot facility on Southern Expressway in 1989 with 60 workers, now employs about 350 people.

UAW officials have been talking with Dana employees over the past few months, discussing the possibility of organizing a union. The secret-ballot election was held Monday and Tuesday, with final votes cast late Tuesday.

Because of the four-shift work format at the plant, votes were cast in three voting sessions: from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday, and 4 to 5:30 p.m., and 9 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"The popularity of pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles has resulted in a strong demand for the axles produced at our facility," said Blanchard. "The people of the Cape Girardeau plant have been working very hard to fulfill that demand. We're going to continue to concentrate on turning out high-quality products to meet our customers' needs."

Fifty percent of employees plus one vote was required for a union victory.

Under federal regulations UAW organizers had to gain the support of 30 percent of the plant's employees to arrange for a vote.

The Cape Girardeau plant is among 129 Dana plants in the U.S. -- 94 manufacturing plants and 35 warehouse operations. A Dana spokesman in the company's Toledo, Ohio, headquarters said 22 are union shops.

Most of the union plants have UAW representation, although 10 unions are involved in operations throughout the company.

Dana was the fifth company to hold a union vote in Cape Girardeau County this year: Workers at The Ceramo Co. in Jackson rejected union representation in a January vote; M&W Packaging north of Cape Girardeau defeated union representation in March; Cape Girardeau Community Counseling Center voted against a union in June; and TCI Cablevision voted against representation by the Communication Workers of America last month.