I think what he's saying is that people would vote no for a union out of complacency. They're indifferent about the company and their position in it and wouldn't be willing to change just because they don't care.

That's sort of how the last pay vote went. It was a pay freeze and on the forums everyone was vocally against it. The vote showed that the actual majority of the company threw up their arms, said "whatever" and passed it though. The unofficial SAPA forum poll was about 75% No yet is passed easily.