International Courant
Members and supporters of United Auto Employees (UAW) on a picket line outdoors the ZF Chassis Methods manufacturing unit in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA, on Wednesday, September 20, 2023.
Andi Rice | Bloomberg | Getty Photos
DETROIT – The United Auto Employees union is disputing the outcomes of final week’s organizing vote amongst Mercedes-Benz employees in Alabama, through which employees voted towards union illustration, and is asking federal officers to name new elections.
Amongst a dozen claims, the Detroit-based union claims the German automaker fired 4 pro-union employees, compelled employees to attend anti-union rallies and disrupted employees’ capability to advocate for the union.
Unionization on the Alabama plant failed with 56% of the vote, or 2,642 employees, casting ballots towards the UAW, in accordance with the NLRB, which oversaw the election. Greater than 90% of the 5,075 eligible Mercedes-Benz workers voted within the election.
“All these employees ever wished was a good alternative to have a voice at work and a say of their working circumstances,” the UAW mentioned in a press release. “And that is what we’re asking for right here. Let’s vote for Mercedes in Alabama, the place the corporate can not hearth individuals, intimidate individuals, or break the legislation or theirs. firm code, and let the staff resolve.”
The Nationwide Labor Relations Board confirmed Friday afternoon that its Atlanta workplace had acquired the UAW’s objections to the election. Friday was the final day the union might file objections and problem the election.
Mercedes-Benz mentioned in a press release Friday that firm officers “have been working with the NLRB to stick to the rules and we’ll proceed to take action” in the course of the appeals course of. The automaker mentioned it “sincerely hoped the UAW would respect our workforce members’ resolution.”
The NLRB mentioned its regional director will evaluate the UAW’s allegations of election unfairness. If it finds that the objections increase substantial and materials factual points which might be greatest resolved by a listening to, it would order a listening to. If, after the listening to, it finds that the employer’s conduct has influenced the election, it might probably order a brand new election.
The company additionally confirmed that it’s processing and investigating unfair labor observe costs filed by the UAW towards automakers, together with six unfair labor observe costs towards Mercedes-Benz since March.
After the outcomes had been introduced, UAW president mentioned Shawn Fain accused the corporate of waging an anti-union marketing campaign, together with “blatantly unlawful conduct,” however declined to debate the union’s doable plans to enchantment the outcomes.
Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Employees, throughout a web based broadcast briefing union members on negotiations with Detroit automakers on Oct. 6, 2023.
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Fain mentioned on Could 17 that the union would transfer ahead with its costs towards Mercedes-Benz, which allege that Mercedes-Benz “disciplined workers for discussing union membership within the office, prohibiting the distribution of union supplies and paraphernalia, monitoring workers, dismissing union actions.” supporters, compelled workers to attend rallies in entrance of a captive viewers and made statements suggesting that union actions are futile,” the NLRB beforehand mentioned.
The leads to Alabama had been a blow to the UAW’s organizing efforts, a month after it gained an organizing drive by about 4,330 Volkswagen manufacturing unit employees in Tennessee.
The vote at Mercedes-Benz was anticipated to be tougher for the union than the vote on the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee, the place the union was already current after two failed organizing drives prior to now decade and the place they confronted much less opposition from the union. automobile producer skilled. .
