The United Auto Workers union on Friday announced a disappointing loss at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama and the union’s plan to win broader gains in the South after winning an agreement at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee in April. was frustrated.
said the votes were still being counted and that the “no” vote exceeded a key threshold that would ensure a loss for the union. Tally posted online by UAW. Approximately 5,100 workers were eligible to vote.
The UAW was hoping to continue its performance, which included VW’s landslide victory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and lucrative new contracts at six Daimler Truck facilities in the South. Daimler Trucks became independent from Mercedes.
If Mercedes wins, it will become the second foreign automaker in the South to join the UAW, but in return the union will redouble its efforts to attract workers in traditionally union-unfriendly areas. There will be a need. For the UAW to maintain its influence within the industry, it is important that it expand its reach beyond the Detroit automaker.
VW workers had twice voted against the UAW before last month’s victory, and in 2017 Nissan workers at a Mississippi plant rejected the UAW by a wide margin. In 2021, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama voted against unionizing by more than two votes. -1 to 1 margin.
The loss complicates the story of how the UAW markets its influence, particularly in the South, but is unlikely to be a significant blow to the UAW’s remaining organizing efforts, labor experts say. said.
“It’s easy to overstate the momentum problem,” said Stephen Silvia, a professor at American University who has written about the UAW’s past organizing campaigns in the South.
“Ultimately it comes down to what’s going on in the individual workplace,” he added, noting that just as a win at Volkswagen doesn’t guarantee a win at Mercedes, this loss could mean future losses. He emphasized that this is not a guarantee.
The company made its feelings clear during the preparation stage. Workers said signs were posted around the plant urging workers to vote “no,” and that the company hired an anti-union firm to talk to workers about the potential risks of joining the UAW. It also released photos and audio seen by Reuters.
Mercedes rejected claims that it interfered with union organizing efforts in Alabama. A spokesperson said the company respects employee union activity and is ensuring all employees have the opportunity to vote in a secret ballot while having the information they need to make informed choices. He said there was.
Political opposition remained staunch in this election campaign. Six governors, including Alabama’s Kay Ivey, signed a letter urging workers to reject the UAW. They argued that union organizing would inhibit the growth of the auto industry throughout the South.
Workers on both sides expected the vote to be close. Kay Finculia, a pro-UAW Mercedes employee, said the company’s messaging, including a recent anti-union push with a local pastor, has led some people to vote “no.”
Victory at Mercedes was an important step for UAW President Sean Fein Organize a $40 million mission More than a dozen automakers across the country, including Toyota and Tesla. It would also have allowed unions to add: declining class.
