Despite the wins leading up to the UAW Mercedes vote, unionization efforts have fallen apart at the Mercedes plant in Alabama. The UAW Mercedes rejection was solidified recently as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced the results of the elections held last week, stating that 56 percent of the 4,687 total votes cast had denied the desire to unionize. Just last month, the United Auto Workers saw a noteworthy victory in Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee factory, and they were certain it was the first crack in the wall the anti-union southern states had built up against their efforts. The Mercedes Alabama union vote results are a clear sign that there is still some distance to go before they can solidify their presence throughout the country.

UAW Mercedes Vote Say No to Unionization

The Mercedes UAW election results have dealt the union a heavy blow after the optimism following the previous round of votes in Tennessee. The members of UAW had been in high spirits, setting their sights on pushing deeper into the southern states and capitalizing on the success of their last two campaigns. Last year, the UAW stood up against the Detroit Big Three automakers and held a stand-up strike that saw the suspension of production at the targeted factories. The six-week campaigns saw negotiations come to a standstill repeatedly before all three companies—General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford—renegotiated deals with the union. This marked a critical point in UAW’s legacy.

Last month, the Tennessee Volkswagen UAW vote resulted in a 73 percent consensus to join the union and was expected to be the start of a clean sweep across states where the campaign went next. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case. The Mercedes UAW election results did see strong support for the union with 44 percent in favor of it, but the 56 percent majority won out in the end. The campaigning that came in the days leading up to the Mercedes UAW factory vote had been significant as the union repeatedly emphasized the success that automakers have seen, with very little of that wealth trickling down to the workers who made it possible. 

“Forming a union with collective bargaining rights is the only way to have the power to negotiate with Mercedes management as equals and reach a legally binding contract. With collective bargaining, workers at Mercedes set our priorities and our agenda—and we elect our coworkers as representatives to negotiate on an equal footing with Mercedes management for improvements such as pay raises, better health care coverage and more paid time off.”

—UAW’s appeal prior to the Mercedes UAW factory vote

UAW Mercedes Rejection Stings as Many Speculate about the Circumstances Surrounding the Vote

The Mercedes UAW election results may have been inevitable considering the perception of unions in the region, but many have pointed to the governmental powers in the region as being at fault. According to CNN, governors from six southern states—Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas—issued a statement back in April, discouraging workers from paying heed to union activities. 

The statement by the governors detailed how they have worked tirelessly to bring good jobs to the state and how unions would only put those jobs in jeopardy. 

“In America, we respect our workforce and we do not need to pay a third party to tell us who can pick up a box or flip a switch. No one wants to hear this, but it’s the ugly reality. We’ve seen it play out this way every single time a foreign automaker plant has been unionized; not one of those plants remains in operation. And we are seeing it in the fallout of the Detroit Three strike with those automakers rethinking investments and cutting jobs. Putting businesses in our states in that position is the last thing we want to do.”

—Joint Statement on the Opposition to the UAW 

UAW Calls Out Mercedes for Discouraging Voters

The outcome of the Mercedes Alabama union vote results were also linked to Mercedes’ own efforts to prevent the union from forming at their plant. Reuters states that the company had signs encouraging workers to say “no” during the UAW Mercedes vote. Anti-union firms also spoke to the workers about the kind of risks they would face if they welcomed the union force into their midst. UAW President Shawn Fain referred to these practices as “egregious illegal behavior,” and this isn’t the first time such accusations have been directed at the company.

Prior to the Mercedes UAW factory vote, a new president of the automaker’s U.S. business was also brought in and workers were encouraged to give him a chance to prove himself and showcase the company’s commitment to its employees. Anti-union workers standing against the UAW Mercedes vote have also been hard at work, actively campaigning against the “outside” influence. In the face of all this resistance and change, it’s impressive that the Mercedes UAW election results were not more skewed in favor of the car company. 

What’s Next for the UAW?

The UAW’s Mercedes rejection may sting but that does not mean that they’re about to slow down with their efforts to bring more workers under their wing. In a press release following the election results, Fain stated that they may have lost the vote but the UAW campaign was still a win for workers. Wages were raised preemptively to show workers they did not need a union to gain benefits and the change of CEO also suggests that there could be some improvements at the Alabama plant. These changes are in part thanks to the efforts of the UAW, even if won indirectly.

“The UAW will continue to lead the fight against corporate greed and runaway inequality. And through that fight we’ll change the nation and the world for the better,” the statement continues. Once the Mercedes UAW election results are certified by the NLRB, the workers will have to wait at least a year before they vote on the matter again. The union had an extensive campaign plan to extend unionization efforts at companies like Toyota and Tesla, and they will likely go ahead with these plans in the upcoming months. 

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