Southern States' Governors Criticize UAW's Push for Unionization

2024

Republican governors from six states, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, have jointly condemned the United Auto Workers' (UAW) efforts to organize automotive factories in the South. They argue that unionization could lead to layoffs and fewer future investments. The statement comes ahead of a vote by more than 4,000 Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on whether to join the UAW.

The UAW's organizing drive, announced last year by UAW President Shawn Fain, targets 13 automakers operating in southern states and elsewhere. The union negotiated record contracts last year with General Motors, Ford Motor, and Chrysler parent Stellantis. However, Republican governors, including Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, believe that while these contracts may provide short-term assistance, they could have long-term negative implications on jobs and investments.

The governors stated, "We have worked tirelessly on behalf of our constituents to bring good-paying jobs to our states. These jobs have become part of the fabric of the automotive manufacturing industry. Unionization would certainly put our states' jobs in jeopardy — in fact, in this year already, all of the UAW automakers have announced layoffs."

The UAW, currently in the process of organizing a vote of Mercedes-Benz workers in Alabama, has not yet responded to the governors' statement. Since the ratified UAW contracts with the Detroit automakers, there have been buyout offers and layoffs of salaried and hourly workers at the companies. Automakers have been cutting costs to invest in all-electric vehicles and prepare for market conditions and economic downturns.

Stellantis, formed by a merger between Fiat Chrysler and PSA Groupe, has led the cuts, mainly affecting supplemental or temporary workers who do not have the same pay or benefits as traditional assembly plant workers. Ford has offered voluntary buyouts and announced layoffs, while GM is offering voluntary buyouts and has laid off workers due to changes in factory production.

Apart from Tennessee's Lee, other Republican governors who signed the statement are Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. The UAW, founded as part of the Congress of Industrial Organizations in the 1930s, represents workers in the United States and southern Ontario, Canada, in industries including autos, health care, casino gambling, and higher education.