Mercedes-Benz workers in Alabama have voted against union representation by the United Auto Workers, the National Labor Relations Board announced on Friday. The results dealt a blow to the UAW’s organizing efforts, coming just a month after the Detroit union successfully organized roughly 4,330 Volkswagen plant workers in Tennessee.
The vote at Mercedes-Benz was anticipated to be more challenging for the union compared to the Volkswagen plant, where the UAW had already established a presence following two unsuccessful organizing drives in the past decade.
Voting took place over the course of the week, starting on Monday and concluding on Friday. Ultimately, 56% of the workers, totaling 2,642 individuals, voted against union representation, according to the NLRB which oversaw the election. Over 90% of the 5,075 eligible workers participated in the voting process.
Although 51 ballots were challenged and 5 were void, the NLRB stated that these numbers would not impact the outcome of the election. The union and the company now have five business days to file any objections to the election, including claims of interference. If no objections are raised, the election results will be certified, and the union will have to wait a year before filing for another union election for a similar bargaining unit.
In response to the results, Mercedes-Benz released a statement expressing their commitment to working directly with their team members to ensure a positive work environment at Mercedes-Benz US International.
The defeat is seen as a setback for the UAW, particularly in light of their ambitious organizing campaign launched last year targeting 13 non-union automakers in the U.S., following successful negotiations with major Detroit automakers Ford Motor, General Motors, and Stellantis.
This outcome underscores the challenges faced by unions in expanding their reach and influence within the automotive industry, highlighting the complexities of labor relations in the modern workplace.
