Mercedes-Benz workers in Alabama begin UAW vote

The United Auto Workers (UAW) is seeking to expand its membership base, with a new vote taking place today among the autoworkers at a Mercedes-Benz (MBG.DE) plant in Alabama. Approximately 5,000 workers will cast their ballots to determine whether they wish to unionize with the UAW. They will follow in the footsteps of the Volkswagen (VOW3.DE) plant in Tennessee, where workers recently voted in favor of unionization.

Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian breaks down the details, providing insights into Southern autoworkers' trend toward unionization.

For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode.

This post was written by Angel Smith

Video transcript

The United Auto Workers Union is setting its sights on the South.

Again, Mercedes Benz workers in Alabama began voting today on whether to join the UAW.

This coming after a historic victory at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee just weeks ago.

For more.

We're bringing in Yahoo finance pros submarines.

Yeah, you know, 5000 workers down in that plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama voting today starting today to potentially join the U W. You mentioned this comes after that big win in Chattanooga, Tennessee with VW.

Uh that was a, I think the third time that they attempted to join the UAW and the, and the time they, they, they pulled through a 3 to 1 margin was the actual vote there.

So kind of big implications down in the South for the unionization.

This place is not friendly to unionize labor, but the tide might be changing.

Some workers are complaining down there about working conditions, hours pay.

They're seeing what's happening in Detroit, the benefits that they're getting the benefits of being part of a union.

So I think it's a big vote if another Domino falls here with the Mercedes plan.

I think Sean Fe and the U can kind of count on potentially more moves down there as time goes on.

Well, we've seen very sort of contentious negotiations between the union and some of the US automakers.

What has Mercedes sort of vibe and attitude been towards this whole effort.

It's been really surprising actually because of the fact that they're heavily unionized in Germany, uh in Alabama, there have been a lot of, they've been hiring anti union speakers to come to the plan to speak to them.

They're playing videos in the, in the factories about why joining the union is a bad news.

We're working together, we're a team, we don't need the union and it's kind of been pretty contentious.

In fact, the, the workers uh filed the NLRB complaint uh against Mercedes and there's been some trade, uh uh us government representatives complaining to German representatives in, in Germany about the kind of actions Mercedes taking in this union sort of labor, sort of dispute.

So it's pretty high stakes right now.

And I think it's kind of Germany is sort of saying, marking the line of the sand they, they don't want to bring or I'm sorry, Mercedes to bring unions into the, the plan.

Very interesting.

Thanks a lot pros, we'll be watching the vote closely.

Appreciate it.