Conservatives across the country cheered Friday evening when news broke that the United Auto Workers’ plan to unionize foreign auto manufacturers in the south hit a major speed bump. Workers at a Chattanooga, Tenn. Volkswagen plant voted against unionizing by a narrow margin, 712-626, but the vote still sent a resounding message: The South will not bend to the will of big labor bosses.
The UAW had made it clear that they wanted the unionization of the Chattanooga VW plant to be a major step toward controlling auto production in the south. After their loss, Mercedes’ plant in Vance, Ala. is next on their list.
Alabama is a right to work state, meaning that employers can’t require union membership as a condition of employment. However, if unionization of the Mercedes plant is successful all workers would, by requirement of contract, be represented by the UAW, not just those who are union members. This caveat strips the rights of workers who wish not to be a member of a union, and silences their voices.
The UAW has proven time and again that they do not represent the values of most Alabama workers. Their progressive political ideology, unreasonable demands and inability to adapt to new technology undeniably contributed to the failure of Detroit. The UAW is also a vocal supporter of the Obama administration, a fact that Tennessee’s conservative workforce could not overlook, and which Alabama workers will undoubtedly take into account as well.
Unions were once viewed as a positive voice for workers who didn’t have the ability to stand up for themselves. But as workplaces became safer and wages became fairer, unions started shifting from workplace representation to heavy political involvement to accomplish their goals. At only 7% of the private workforce, unions are a dying institution, and their insistence on overtly working against the political views of at least half of the population is contributing to their demise.
Between the Mercedes, Honda, and Hyundai plants, Alabama has become a strong player in automotive manufacturing. Our state’s right to work laws have played a major part in that. As president and founder of Union Conservatives, Terry Bowman, stressed at a talk during a recent visit in Birmingham hosted by the Alabama Policy Institute, UAW representation for Alabama’s auto manufacturers would not only be a blow to current Alabama jobs, but also to the state’s ability to attract new companies.
Airbus and Remington are examples of two manufacturers who cited Alabama’s right to work laws as a key point in their decision to locate in the state. And there will be many more to come, as long as Alabama workers follow Tennessee’s lead and reject the union bosses’ advances.
