The page mentions that 73% of workers at the VW plant voted in favor of joining the union in 2024, but a subsequent vote at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama did not succeed for the union.
Were conditions (pay, benefits, working conditions) at the VW plant significantly worse than at the Mercedes-Benz plant?
There are many plants in the South….BMW, Toyota, Honda, Volvo, Mazda, Nissan, Rivian, Telsa, GM, etc. Not sure that anyone else has passed union representation thus far.
As a former production supervisor in an automotive manufacturing facility, I applaud this. I have seen firsthand that those in charge will take advantage of those who toil for them when allowed to do so. With the rollback of worker regulations at the federal level and the decimation of staff to enforce remaining regulations, worker safety and security is dependent on organizing. At the intersection of profit and fairness/safety, profit wins unless it can be tempered with rules that keep greed in check.
I would think that workers are more likely to want a union if they are less satisfied with something at work. Was VW significantly worse than the others in pay, benefits, or working conditions?
Don’t know but it seems like past union votes wherever also get workers better conditions - just from the threats.
Then you have local pols wherever push back or have even threatened if workers unionize.
Tenn. Lawmakers Threaten to Block Subsidies If VW Plant Unionizes - In These Times
Germany considers unionization a fundamental right (companies often pay for each employee to join one union of their choice - there are typically several - the more employees join the more likely the more extreme groups will be a minority) and would take unionization tampering seriously. Hence VW, Mercedes-Benz…
Yes and no. They have the work councils. VW appeared to stay silent two years ago with a slight undertone against behind the scenes. If you believe the news, Mercedes was vehemently against.
My belief is the foreign OEMs take direction from abroad, that few decisions of magnitude happen here, no matter the country or continent of origin.
There’s a reason the foreign automakers chose to put manufacturing in the Deep South states like TN, MS, AL, and SC while R&D is often in Michigan or California. Unionization possibilities (or lack thereof) is certainly one of the reasons.
Well of course the German companies chose the South for its anti unionization environment (the union situation in Germany has a historical background and unions have been considered co-managers sort of, whereas the history in the South is very different.) But if they’re found to do something against the brand or if German executives go against German law it’s another kettle of fish. That’s why VW or Mercedes may be prime targets for unionization while other brands may not.
They’ve tried Nissan in Smyrna TN and Canton MS but no success.
With Nissan on possibly a death spiral, if layoffs come, I wonder if things can change.
This was from two years ago after the first VW union success in Chattanooga.
Nissan and Japanese automobile culture are different from German car culture though, especially wrt relation to unions (even with Nissan being partnered with Renault).
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