Six Republican governors are condemning efforts by the United Auto Employees to arrange automotive factories of their states, a flash level because the labor group tries to construct on its success final yr profitable concessions from the Huge Three automakers by making inroads within the traditionally union-averse South.
“We’ve got a accountability to our constituents to talk up once we see particular pursuits trying to come into our state and threaten our jobs and the values we stay by,” the governors of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas mentioned Tuesday in a joint assertion.
The governors spoke out towards the UAW a day earlier than 4,300 Volkswagen staff in Chattanooga, Tenn., are set to begin voting on whether or not to affix the union. The manufacturing unit is Volkswagen’s North American electric-vehicle meeting hub, the place the UAW narrowly misplaced union votes in 2014 and 2019. Employees on the plant will forged ballots from Wednesday via Friday night.
Volkswagen has mentioned it respects the employees’ proper to vote on whether or not to affix the UAW. However the governors who criticized the union drive mentioned “we don’t have to pay a 3rd social gathering to inform us who can choose up a field or flip a swap,” whereas additionally framing the marketing campaign as a transfer to help President Joe Biden’s reelection marketing campaign.
The UAW, which has endorsed President Biden’s reelection bid, declined to remark.
The UAW within the fall negotiated document contracts for 150,000 staff at Basic Motors, Ford and Chrysler-parent Stellantis, whereas some nonunion factories additionally subsequently introduced pay will increase for staff. After main a six-week strike on the firms, UAW President Shawn Fain final fall vowed to manage nonunion firms throughout the business, from overseas automakers with U.S. operations to electrical automobile makers like Tesla.
In November, VW gave staff an 11% pay increase on the Chattanooga plant, however the UAW mentioned VW’s pay nonetheless lags behind the Detroit automakers. High meeting plant staff in Chattanooga make $32.40 per hour, VW mentioned.
The UAW pacts with Detroit automakers included 25% pay raises by the point the contracts finish in April of 2028. With cost-of-living will increase, staff will see about 33% in raises for a high meeting wage of $42 per hour, plus annual revenue sharing.
The union can be gaining floor in different southern states, with the UAW saying in February {that a} majority of staff at a Mercedes plant close to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, have signed playing cards in help of becoming a member of the labor group.
