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Workers at Mercedes in Alabama narrowly defeated a vote (2642 or 56% against with 2045 for) to join the UAW* in an election that was made public late Friday night. This was in stark contrast to the record contract approved by workers at Daimler Truck or the ratification of the union at Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Alabama has been a so-called “right to work state” (for less?) since 2016, meaning that union-membership is not required for employment. By late February, less than two months after Mercedes workers went public with their drive to join the UAW, a majority of them had signed union cards. Whether this is the end of the matter is far from clear. The UAW lost the vote at VW two times prior to its win.*
“Should the UAW suffer defeat, depending on how close the vote is, it will undoubtedly explore its legal options under the NLRB. While set back, the union will not lessen its resolve. It will assess where it went wrong and how to correct it. The fight to organize the non-union auto sector will only intensify, on both sides as the stakes mount,” the Center for Automotive Research said in a paper published just before the vote.
“These courageous workers at Mercedes reached out to the UAW because they wanted justice. They led us. And they lead us. What happens next is up to them,” said Shawn Fain the UAW president. “Justice isn’t about one vote or one campaign. It’s about getting a voice, getting your fair share. And let’s be clear: workers won serious gains in this campaign. They raised their wages, with the ‘UAW bump. They killed wage tiers. They got rid of a CEO who had no interest in improving conditions in the workplace. Mercedes is a better place to work thanks to this campaign, and thanks to these courageous workers. The company told the workers to give the new CEO a chance. That’s exactly what Volkswagen told its workers in 2019. And in 2024, Volkswagen workers realized it’s not about a CEO. It’s about a voice on the job, it’s about getting our lives back, and getting our time back. The only path to do that is through a union contract.”
The Mercedes vote has yet to be certified by the National Labor Relations board and the UAW has the right to appeal, which is an open issue today, as are other alleged anti-union practices in a German court. The plant is the only light-duty motor vehicle assembly plant of Mercedes-Benz Group AG in the United States. Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, aka Mercedes-Benz Plant Tuscaloosa, manufactures the GLE and GLS SUVs, and more importantly going forward to the progressive Daimler and Mercedes global warming strategy – the EQE and EQS electric vehicles. It currently builds ~250,000 SUVs and 50,000 electric vehicles annually.
“This is a David and Goliath fight. Sometimes Goliath wins a battle. But David wins the war. These workers will win their fair share. And we will be there every step of the way to support them. Our fight is also in the halls of the legislatures of this country. Sixty million Americans say they’d join a union if given the option. Polling here in Alabama and in Tennessee show people supported the UAW by a two to one margin. But with weak labor laws in place, sometimes the companies are able to turn those numbers around. The UAW will continue to lead the fight against corporate greed and runaway inequality. And through that fight we’ll change the nation and the world for the better. While this loss stings, these workers keep their heads held high. We fight the good fight and continue forward. And the workers here ultimately will win. Most of us have lost elections in our lives and I know I’ve always learned from it. What matters is what you do with that experience,” said Fain.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
UAW Loses Mercedes Alabama Vote
Click for more.
Workers at Mercedes in Alabama narrowly defeated a vote (2642 or 56% against with 2045 for) to join the UAW* in an election that was made public late Friday night. This was in stark contrast to the record contract approved by workers at Daimler Truck or the ratification of the union at Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Alabama has been a so-called “right to work state” (for less?) since 2016, meaning that union-membership is not required for employment. By late February, less than two months after Mercedes workers went public with their drive to join the UAW, a majority of them had signed union cards. Whether this is the end of the matter is far from clear. The UAW lost the vote at VW two times prior to its win.*
“Should the UAW suffer defeat, depending on how close the vote is, it will undoubtedly explore its legal options under the NLRB. While set back, the union will not lessen its resolve. It will assess where it went wrong and how to correct it. The fight to organize the non-union auto sector will only intensify, on both sides as the stakes mount,” the Center for Automotive Research said in a paper published just before the vote.
“These courageous workers at Mercedes reached out to the UAW because they wanted justice. They led us. And they lead us. What happens next is up to them,” said Shawn Fain the UAW president. “Justice isn’t about one vote or one campaign. It’s about getting a voice, getting your fair share. And let’s be clear: workers won serious gains in this campaign. They raised their wages, with the ‘UAW bump. They killed wage tiers. They got rid of a CEO who had no interest in improving conditions in the workplace. Mercedes is a better place to work thanks to this campaign, and thanks to these courageous workers. The company told the workers to give the new CEO a chance. That’s exactly what Volkswagen told its workers in 2019. And in 2024, Volkswagen workers realized it’s not about a CEO. It’s about a voice on the job, it’s about getting our lives back, and getting our time back. The only path to do that is through a union contract.”
The Mercedes vote has yet to be certified by the National Labor Relations board and the UAW has the right to appeal, which is an open issue today, as are other alleged anti-union practices in a German court. The plant is the only light-duty motor vehicle assembly plant of Mercedes-Benz Group AG in the United States. Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, aka Mercedes-Benz Plant Tuscaloosa, manufactures the GLE and GLS SUVs, and more importantly going forward to the progressive Daimler and Mercedes global warming strategy – the EQE and EQS electric vehicles. It currently builds ~250,000 SUVs and 50,000 electric vehicles annually.
“This is a David and Goliath fight. Sometimes Goliath wins a battle. But David wins the war. These workers will win their fair share. And we will be there every step of the way to support them. Our fight is also in the halls of the legislatures of this country. Sixty million Americans say they’d join a union if given the option. Polling here in Alabama and in Tennessee show people supported the UAW by a two to one margin. But with weak labor laws in place, sometimes the companies are able to turn those numbers around. The UAW will continue to lead the fight against corporate greed and runaway inequality. And through that fight we’ll change the nation and the world for the better. While this loss stings, these workers keep their heads held high. We fight the good fight and continue forward. And the workers here ultimately will win. Most of us have lost elections in our lives and I know I’ve always learned from it. What matters is what you do with that experience,” said Fain.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.