The United Auto Workers suffered a disappointing loss at a Mercedes-Benz, opens new tab factory in Alabama on Friday, a setback for the union's plans to achieve broader gains in the U.S. South after winning a deal at a Tennessee Volkswagen plant in April.
With votes still being tallied, the "no" votes had passed the critical threshold ensuring a loss for the union, according to a tally posted online by the UAW., opens new tab About 5,100 workers were eligible to vote.
The UAW had hoped to continue a run that includes the overwhelming VW VOWG_p.DE win in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as well as a lucrative new contract at six Daimler Truck facilities across the South. Daimler Truck (DTGGe.DE), opens new tab was spun off from what is now Mercedes.
A win at Mercedes would have marked the second foreign-owned automaker in the U.S. South to join the UAW, but instead the union will need to redouble efforts to win over workers in a region that has previously been inhospitable to unions. Widening its reach beyond the Detroit automakers is critical for the UAW to maintain its influence within the industry.
VW workers twice voted against the UAW before last month's win, and Nissan (7201.T), opens new tab workers at a plant in Mississippi rejected the UAW by a wide margin in 2017. In 2021, workers at an Amazon.com AMZN.O warehouse in Alabama voted against forming a union by a more than 2-to-1 margin.
The loss complicates the story of how the UAW can market its influence, especially in the South, but it likely will not deal a significant blow to the rest of the UAW's organizing efforts, labor experts said.
@HoopoeGabriellaPatriot2wks2W
I spent a 40 year career working in factories - split about even between union and non-union shops. Given a choice between the two, I would pick a non-union shop every time.
In general, unions protect poor performing employees and hinder well performing employees. I had a machine mechanic that was worth 3X what the others were worth (skill and effort wise). I couldn't pay him a nickel more than the others. On the other hand, when someone is habitually caught sleeping comfortably on a bed of corrugated board, the union defends him.
Then there are the ridiculous work rules. A plumber had to be paged to turn on a spigot for a machine washdown.
I could go on for hours.
If it wasn't for the UAW I wouldn't be retired and living if SW Florida getting a monthly pension check and medical coverage. Sure the UAW isn't perfect, but what is ? As for the keyboard anti-union hater, tell me how many years you have worked in an auto company ?
You mean, "Thanks to the $36B the US taxpayers gave the UAW", I can retire in Fla.
Your vote was paid in full. When the UAW took over the union I am part of, the very first thing they demanded was a quadrupling of union dues. From 1/2 hour/week to 2 hours a week.
I am not proud to be a member of the UAW. Unions destroy everything they touch.
@CreativeHyenaDemocrat2wks2W
The country would be better off with more unionized workers. The 60s were better than now for workers. It's amazing how any factory worker can oppose unionization.
Globalization and outsourcing have hallowed out manufacturing in the US. If you are making a comodity product, customers dont want to pay a premium when they can get it from a dozen other countries. Apple maybe a proud progessive US company, but it has no problem sending manufacturing to China for US destined goods.
The unions partly drove the outsourcing waves. Who'd want to buy shoddy $100k vehicles made by lazy union "workers?"
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