TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Brett Garrard, a veteran of 20 years at the Mercedes-Benz factory in Alabama, expresses a hardened stance against company promises as the plant approaches a pivotal union vote. “I’m not falling for the lies anymore,” Garrard stated, signaling his intention to vote for union representation.
Despite repeated assurances from Mercedes-Benz regarding improvements in pay and working conditions at what some might unofficially refer to as Mercedes-Benz Plant 2, or simply the Vance plant and its adjacent battery facility, Garrard and many of his colleagues feel these promises have consistently fallen short.
“Mercedes claims that we’re a family, one team, one fight. But over the years, I’ve learned one thing: This is not how I treat my family,” Garrard articulated, highlighting a deep sense of disillusionment among the workforce as they head into a crucial decision impacting their future at the Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 location.
This unionization effort at the Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 comes hot on the heels of a significant victory for the United Auto Workers (UAW) union at a Volkswagen factory in Tennessee. Just a month prior, workers at the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant overwhelmingly voted to unionize, emboldening the UAW as they set their sights on Alabama. Now, over 5,000 employees at the Vance facility, encompassing both the main assembly plant and the nearby battery production site – essentially Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 in broader terms – are poised to vote next week on whether to join the UAW.
Securing a win at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 would represent a landmark achievement for the UAW, particularly in their ongoing campaign to break through the strong resistance to unions prevalent in the Deep South. This region has become a hub for foreign auto manufacturers, attracted by substantial tax incentives, lower labor costs, and a predominantly non-union labor pool.
Garrard, 50, along with numerous other workers advocating for unionization at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2, voiced concerns to The Associated Press regarding several key issues. These include stagnant wages that have failed to keep pace with rising inflation, escalating insurance expenses, unpredictable work shift schedules, and an overarching feeling of expendability. This sentiment is particularly poignant considering they are engaged in the assembly of luxury Mercedes-Benz vehicles, some of which retail for prices exceeding $100,000.
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“Yes, we’re Southern autoworkers, but we deserve autoworker pay,” Garrard asserted, encapsulating the core demand for fair compensation commensurate with their skills and the profitability of Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
While Mercedes-Benz currently advertises a starting hourly wage of $23.50 for full-time production team members at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2, with potential earnings reaching approximately $34 per hour after four years, according to a state worker training website, many workers argue this is insufficient. Several employees mentioned that the company recently implemented pay increases, but they believe this was a preemptive measure specifically intended to discourage the burgeoning union movement at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
Jacob Ryan, 34, a ten-year veteran of Mercedes-Benz Plant 2, recounted his initial experience as a temporary worker earning around $17 per hour for “the same exact work” before being hired full-time. Ryan emphasized the detrimental impact of inflation on employee earnings, noting that he spends nearly $1,200 monthly on childcare expenses for his son and after-school care for his daughter.
“None of it goes to the employees. We’re stuck where we were, paying way more for everything,” Ryan lamented, highlighting the financial strain faced by many workers at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 despite the perceived success of the luxury automotive brand.
Ryan believes the current union drive is gaining significant momentum, particularly following the UAW’s success in securing more favorable contracts for workers at the “Big Three” Detroit automakers. This victory demonstrated the UAW’s bargaining power and resonated with workers at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
Following a series of impactful strikes against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis last fall, UAW members achieved substantial economic gains under newly negotiated contracts. For instance, top production workers at GM now earn $36 per hour, translating to roughly $75,000 annually, excluding overtime, benefits, and profit sharing, which exceeded $10,000 this year. By the conclusion of the contract in 2028, top-scale GM workers are projected to earn $42.95 per hour, approximately $89,000 per year. These figures serve as a benchmark and aspiration for workers at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 seeking similar improvements.
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., the operator of Mercedes-Benz Plant 2, issued a statement affirming the company’s commitment to ensuring all workers have the opportunity to cast a secret ballot and have access to the necessary information to make an informed decision regarding unionization.
The company’s statement further emphasized its focus on “provide a safe and supportive work environment” for its team members at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
“We believe open and direct communication with our Team Members is the best path forward to ensure continued success,” the statement concluded, advocating for a direct relationship with employees rather than union representation at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
However, not all workers at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 are in favor of unionizing. Melissa Howell, 56, a quality team leader with 19 years of experience at the plant, expressed her intention to vote against the union in the upcoming election, which is scheduled to commence on Monday and conclude on Friday.
Howell cited skepticism towards the UAW, stemming from a past bribery and embezzlement scandal that resulted in prison sentences for two former union presidents. Her apprehension is further rooted in negative perceptions of the UAW from relatives employed by automakers in Michigan during her upbringing. Despite acknowledging a period of poor treatment of workers by Mercedes-Benz, which initially fueled union organizing efforts at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2, Howell believes the company has recently made significant improvements in working conditions. She noted the elimination of a lower wage tier for new hires and the replacement of the previous plant CEO with a more worker-centric leader who actively engages with employees on the factory floor at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
“I feel like the improvements the company is making, it’s getting people to think long and hard,” Howell stated, suggesting that Mercedes-Benz’s recent actions may sway some workers away from unionization at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
Conversely, David Johnston, 26, wearing a “Union YES” button at a rally outside a Tuscaloosa church, expressed strong optimism about the union’s prospects at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
“Everybody’s confident. Everybody knows we are going to win,” Johnston declared, reflecting the enthusiasm of union supporters as the vote at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 approaches.
Art Wheaton, director of labor studies at Cornell University, posits that organizing workers at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 presents a greater challenge compared to the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee. This is primarily attributed to the UAW’s limited prior recruitment efforts at the Mercedes-Benz facility, meaning they are starting from a less established base.
However, Wheaton acknowledges that the UAW’s resounding victory at Volkswagen, achieved on their third plant-wide vote since 2014, provides significant momentum heading into the Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 election. At Volkswagen, the union benefited from prior experience in organizing at the plant and existing relationships with workers from previous campaigns, despite those earlier attempts resulting in narrow defeats. Therefore, a UAW win at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2, particularly on their first attempt, would be considered an even more substantial triumph than their Volkswagen victory.
Wheaton concluded that while a UAW win at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 wouldn’t be surprising given the current climate, “it’s tougher if you don’t have that same infrastructure in place.”
Adding a political dimension to the labor dispute, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and five other Southern governors have publicly urged workers to reject unionization at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2, arguing that it could jeopardize jobs and hinder the growth of the automotive industry in the region.
Governor Ivey stated that Mercedes-Benz has “positively impacted” tens of thousands of Alabama families since the plant’s inception in 1993. However, she characterized the union’s interest as primarily “ensuring money from hardworking Alabama families ends up in the UAW bank account,” framing the issue in terms of regional economic interests versus union gains at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
The Alabama vote at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 occurs amidst a backdrop of high-profile labor conflicts in the state, including a recent unionization effort at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer and the conclusion of a nearly two-year strike at Warrior Met Coal. The Warrior Met Coal strike involved miners who cited previous concessions in pay and benefits made to keep the mines operational, benefits they felt were not adequately restored as the company recovered financially. These labor disputes underscore a broader trend of worker activism and demands for improved conditions and compensation in Alabama and the wider region as the Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 vote looms.
Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones, the last Democrat to hold statewide office in Alabama, emphasized the historical role of unions in building the middle class in the state. His perspective adds historical weight to the current unionization effort at Mercedes-Benz Plant 2.
“This vote can be a turning point for Alabama for organized labor who is already seeing a rise in membership,” said Jones, highlighting the potential broader implications of the Mercedes-Benz Plant 2 vote for the labor movement in Alabama. Jones himself is the son of a steelworker and grandson of a coal miner, giving him a personal connection to the labor movement.
