Southern governors, including Gov. Bill Lee, warn Volkswagen autoworkers in Tennessee that voting for union representation could jeopardize their jobs, citing potential fallout from the Detroit Three strike and its impact on investments and job cuts. The United Auto Workers (UAW) is seeking to organize nonunion auto factories, with the VW plant in Chattanooga being the first test. The UAW has targeted over a dozen nonunion auto plants, including those run by Tesla, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Honda, and others, covering nearly 150,000 workers in the South. The UAW declined to comment, and VW stated its respect for the workers' right to a democratic process in determining representation.
A majority of workers at Mercedes-Benz's Alabama plant have signed authorization cards for United Auto Workers representation, marking a significant milestone in the union's efforts to secure leverage and gains for autoworkers. The UAW's push for representation at foreign-owned and EV startup plants follows its success with the Detroit Three automakers. The union's milestone at the Mercedes plant comes after a previous attempt to organize in 2014. The UAW has also gained support at Volkswagen's plant in Tennessee and Hyundai's plant in Alabama, with over 10,000 autoworkers signing authorization cards at 14 manufacturers.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) union is launching a campaign to organize the entire nonunion auto sector in the US, including automakers such as Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Rivian, Nissan, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. The UAW aims to bring union representation to nearly 150,000 workers at these companies, following its successful negotiations with the Detroit Three automakers. The union plans to use electronic cards to gauge interest and seek recognition or demand a union representation vote if a significant percentage of workers express interest. Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed disagreement with the idea of unions, stating that if Tesla becomes unionized, it would be because the company failed in some way.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) is launching an unprecedented public organizing campaign to unionize non-union automakers in the United States. Workers at over a dozen non-union automakers have announced simultaneous campaigns to join the UAW, with the organizing drive expected to cover nearly 150,000 autoworkers across thirteen automakers. The UAW's strategy involves workers signing union cards, holding public rallies, and demanding recognition from the companies. The union aims to secure better wages, benefits, and job security for non-union autoworkers, following the successful labor contracts recently negotiated with the Detroit Three car companies.
