FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
About the Election, Collective Bargaining and the UAW
Should we give management a second chance?
Michael Göbel wasn’t well liked, and yet under his watch we ended two-tier pay and won record pay raises. Göbel didn’t just wake up one day and decide to give them to us; we won them by joining together to form our union. Of course, we hope our new CEO will be more responsive to our concerns, but we are voting UAW Yes so we don’t have to rely on someone else to fix our problems. Without a union, Mercedes makes all the decisions. With a union, we have an equal say in our future. And when we vote to approve our contract, everything we win will be guaranteed in writing.
What happens after we win our union?
The union is US. Mercedes workers. WE decide what happens next. After we win our union, we have to win our union contract for a better life at Mercedes. We go through SIX STEPS to win a first contract.
Step 1: Elect our team. We vote for our bargaining representatives made up of Mercedes workers to go to the negotiating table with management.
Step 2: Set bargaining priorities. Fill out bargaining surveys to provide direct guidance to our elected bargaining committee about what we want in a contract.
Step 3: Meet with the company. With our goals set, the bargaining committee, with extensive support from the UAW staff and national leadership, meets with Mercedes management as equals to win a lifechanging first contract.
Step 4: Vote on it! Once the bargaining committee reaches a “tentative agreement,” Mercedes workers will have a chance to vote on whether or not to accept the union contract.
Step 5: Enforce it. Once we have a legally binding union contract, we make sure that Mercedes sticks to it by electing local union leaders who enforce the pay, benefits and rights we won in our contract to make sure everyone is getting a fair deal.
While we’re negotiating our first contract, the company cannot make major changes to the workplace without negotiating with us first. That means our October “annual” raise, pay progressions, and bonuses must continue until we negotiate something better.
What about people who’ve had bad experiences with unions?
It’s unfortunate when people have a bad experience with their union. We are the union, and we are committed to building a strong union with the power to hold Mercedes accountable. We will elect our local leadership, and we will vote them out if they don’t live up to our standards. That’s exactly what UAW members did last year. For the first time ever, members were able to directly elect the president of UAW, and they kicked the bums out and elected officers who are accountable to the members. The results are overwhelmingly positive: record contract gains and a historic union vote at Volkswagen. And we are next.
Will forming a union result in the closure of our plant?
Just after VW workers in Chattanooga voted to join the UAW, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) released a study on what might happen at Mercedes if we vote to go union. The study said, “given the plant’s irreplaceable value for the company, we expect that the potential increase in labor costs would not deter Mercedes-Benz from maintaining its operations in Alabama.”
According to CAR, “As the sole producer of unibody large luxury SUVs for Mercedes-Benz for nearly two decades, Mercedes-Benz Plant Tuscaloosa has established a well-functioning supply chain network in the region, and its products are sold not only in North America but also exported worldwide. Given this vantage position, any plant closure or relocation options for this plant seem remote given current circumstances and market conditions. Additionally, the high end, high-value-added products at this plant allow its workers to receive top tier wages and benefits in the U.S. automotive industry.” (Click here to download the full study.)
Also, soon after the pro-union vote in Chattanooga, VW management put out a statement with the new UAW members saying, “We are jointly committed to a strong and successful future at Volkswagen Chattanooga with the UAW…. Both sides are now focused on collective bargaining and entering negotiations in the spirit of working together to reach a fair agreement and build world-class automobiles together.” Like VW, Mercedes gets along with union workers everywhere else in the world. Plus, Mercedes has invested billions of dollars to expand here in Vance. They’re not going to throw that money away.
What is this I hear about temporary Stellantis workers getting laid off?
The auto industry has abused so-called “temporary” workers for decades. At Stellantis, nearly 3,000 temps have been converted to permanent, full-fledged Stellantis employees. We have ended the company’s years of abusing temps with poverty wages, limited rights, and little job security. Workers who were making under $16 an hour six months ago will be making over $40 an hour in 2027, an up to 168% raise. They’ve won job security, profit-sharing, seniority rights, and more. The Stand Up Strike ended the “perma-temp” system at the Big Three, and we’re going to end the abuse of temp workers across the auto industry, so every autoworker has a secure job at a living wage that can support a decent life.
Can I get fired or disciplined for my union support?
Federal law protects our right to organize a union. That doesn’t mean bosses don’t break the law, but it does mean you have protection. In fact, your best protection is the fact that thousands of autoworkers are currently standing up to form unions with the UAW across the country at over a dozen companies. While retaliation would be illegal, our greatest protection is each other. By joining together and building public support for the union, we make it much harder for the boss to single any of us out individually. A union is all about strength in numbers.
Will I be able to talk to my Group Leader if we unionize?
Of course not. In fact, most UAW contracts encourage members to first take up concerns with their immediate supervisor. But if your supervisor gives you the runaround, then you have the union to back you up. Here’s an excerpt from the GM contract that describes how it works: “If your supervisor doesn’t address your concerns, you can ask your union steward to assist you in resolving the problem. If your supervisor calls you into an investigatory meeting, you have the legal right to a union representative.”
Will negotiations start from scratch?
Absolutely not, and if you’re Group Leader tells you that they’re breaking the law.
What does status quo mean?
Status quo simply means you keep what you have while you’re negotiating your first contract. This does not mean you are “frozen.” Annual raises will still happen. Bonuses still get paid.
Currently, Mercedes can change or eliminate any benefit of employment without our agreement. Whem we win our union, management is legally prohibited from changing or eliminating a benefit without our agreement through collective bargaining. Before we have a union, it is also unlawful for Mercedes to threaten to take away a benefit if we choose to unionize.
Should we wait and see what VW gets in their contract before we vote for our union?
Mercedes and their rich shareholders have enjoyed the Alabama Discount for nearly thirty years. Why should we wait one day longer to end the Alabama Discount and finally earn our fair share of the profits we produce?
Will maintenance workers get outvoted by production?
No. The UAW Constitution protects Maintenance workers by allowing them to negotiate and vote on a supplemental agreement that addresses their unique needs.
Mercedes is fighting us hard. Can we really win?
Yes! Lots of people told the workers at Volkswagen they couldn’t win. But they just voted overwhelmingly to build their union. Right now, Mercedes is doing whatever they can to discourage us. But voting yes for our union is a gamechanger. Once we vote yes, the company is legally required to sit down with us as equals to bargain a contract. Just like VW, Mercedes has negotiated union contracts with workers all around the world. We can win our union, our union contract, and our fair share right here in Alabama.
What are the stakes in this election?
We have a clear and important choice to make in this election. Voting “Yes” means ending the Alabama Discount that has done nothing but enrich Mercedes and their rich shareholders. When we vote “Yes,” Mercedes will have a legal obligation to bargain with us over pay, benefits and working conditions and secure any agreements we reach, regarding improvements or protecting current benefits, into a legally binding contract.
Voting “no” means you agree that Alabama autoworkers are worth less. Voting “no” allows Mercedes to keep the current system where management decides if, when, and how to improve anything and can change things when it is convenient for them, regardless of the impact on our work and home life.
What is collective bargaining?
Under collective bargaining, Mercedes workers will elect coworkers to negotiate as equals with management. They are assisted by trained UAW staff negotiators and other professionals. These negotiations result in a proposed contract called a tentative agreement. Mercedes workers then vote to democratically approve the tentative agreement. If approved, it becomes a legally binding contract that guarantees the terms and conditions of our employment.
Through collective bargaining, UAW autoworkers have set the standard in our industry for strong pay, excellent benefits, pay during shutdowns, job security, protection from unfair treatment, and many other issues on the job.
Without collective bargaining, Mercedes has unilateral power to change our working conditions. For example, Mercedes currently decides unilaterally whether or not we get annual raises, what healthcare coverage is available to us and how much it costs, and can mandate schedule and shift changes. Any term and condition of employment is up to Mercedes to decide, with or without our input.
Why are we forming a union now?
The real question is why has it taken us so long? Mercedes has taken advantage of the Alabama discount for 30 years, and we’re not waiting another minute to stand up for our fair share of the profits we produce.
We just saw the record raises and historic contracts that 150,000 UAW members won at Ford, GM and Stellantis. Now autoworkers across the South are standing up to win our fair share.
Forming a union with collective bargaining rights is the only way to have the power to negotiate with Mercedes management as equals and reach a legally binding contract. With collective bargaining, workers at Mercedes set our priorities and our agenda—and we elect our coworkers as representatives to negotiate on an equal footing with Mercedes management for improvements such as pay raises, better health care coverage and more paid time off. Without a union contract, Mercedes has unilateral power to change all the terms and conditions of our employment.
How will we choose our bargaining team?
After forming our union, we will workers will democratically elect a bargaining team made up of our coworkers, who will work with experienced UAW staff, to negotiate a contract with management.
Is UAW a corrupt organization?
Over the last decade several UAW leaders betrayed the membership, were exposed for their crimes, pleaded guilty, and went to jail. In response, UAW members passed a referendum to ensure the union is truly democratic. They voted to give every member the right to directly elect the union’s top officers. In 2023, reformer Shawn Fain was elected president and under his leadership UAW autoworkers just won their strongest contracts in decades.
How do UAW members ensure that elected leaders are accountable?
Every UAW member has the right to vote for the union’s top officers. Once you become a UAW member, you directly elect the union’s president and executive board. Each UAW local union must audit its books every 6 months and is audited by the International UAW every 3 years, and there is an outside, independent audit of the International UAW every year.
Every union decision is appealable by members to the Public Review Board, which is composed of individuals independent of UAW, or to the Convention Appeals Committee, which is composed of members chosen at random from among the delegates elected to the previous convention.
Why is this vote so important?
We have a clear and important choice to make in this election. If a majority of us vote “Yes,” Mercedes will have a legal obligation to bargain with us over pay, benefits and working conditions and secure any agreements we reach, regarding improvements or protecting current benefits, into a legally binding contract. Voting “no” means you support keeping the current system where Mercedes decides if, when, and how to improve anything and can change things when it is convenient for them as they have done with our PTO and health insurance costs in recent years.
How much are union dues?
In the UAW, there are no membership dues until workers have gone through the bargaining process and vote democratically to approve a first contract. After that, each individual worker decides whether to pay membership dues or not. Dues are 2.5 hours of straight time pay per month. Overtime do not result in higher dues.
Unions have two sources of power: organized workers and organized money. Dues are no substitute for people power, but they are important because they provide the resources to build a strong union with real power in the plant.
Are union dues worth it?
Yes. Unions have two sources of power: organized people and organized money. Alone, we can’t afford health and safety experts, skilled negotiators, and attorneys who help us negotiate and enforce our union contract. Our dues pay for a union hall that lets us conduct the business of our union, support recreational programs, and be a service to our community. Dues are 2.5 hours of straight time pay per month, and nobody pays a penny in dues until after we vote to ratify our first union contract.
Do I have to agree with the union’s politics if I join the union?
No. And none of our union dues go to any candidate for president, Senate or Congress. 97% of dues go to programs that build power in our plant. 3% of membership dues go toward the UAW Community Action Program (CAP). CAP supports community and local political action on issues that matter to UAW members. For example, the UAW advocates for fair trade policies that protect our jobs. This dues money cannot be used on a federal campaign. Members can choose to donate additional money to the UAW Voluntary Community Action Program (VCAP), which can be used in federal elections. VCAP is voluntary and separate from dues.
Will we have to go on strike?
The right to strike is the most powerful tool we have as workers. But strikesare rare, and only we decide if we strike. In the UAW, two-thirds of the workers participating have to vote yes to authorize a strike before it can happen. Even then, just getting ready to strike can be enough to win big. Workers at Daimler Truck didn’t strike. But they just won 25% raises for every worker — and raises higher than 60% for some — because they were strike ready.
Voting Process
Can we vote while we’re at work?
Plan to vote before or after work. We do not want to depend on Mercedes shutting down the line to vote.
Do I have to vote in my designated area?
It’s best to vote in your designated area, but you can vote in any location.
Can we vote if we will be out of town those days/is there a digital option?
No, we must vote in person and on paper. We can come in if we have the day off, but there will be no mail ballot option.
What if I get in line after the polls close?
Don’t cut it close. But if we get in line by the time polls close, we will be allowed to vote.
When will the ballots be counted?
The ballots will be counted at the end of the fifth day (Friday, May 17), immediately after the polls close.
Voting Eligibility
Who is eligible to vote?
Production and maintenance employees who were employed during the payroll period ending April 14, 2024. Anyone not on the eligibility list can vote subject to challenge. Challenged ballots will be resolved if they are determinative of the outcome of the election.
Why can’t temporary employees vote?
Rather than tie up the election in legal appeals, MBUSI workers will lead the way and fight to include temporary workers after we win our union.
Are they going to check ID?
The National Labor Relations Board determines the process to verify voter eligibility. They may ask for our Mercedes badge. Take it just in case.
What is the ballot going to look like?
It will have two boxes- Yes or No. Pick one of the boxes. Do not put your name or any writing anywhere on the ballot. Just write an X or check mark.
Vote Security
What precautions are taken to guard against vote tampering?
The NLRB will ensure that the election is monitored. Each person only gets one ballot, and the ballot box will be under constant supervision.
What role will observers play?
Observers monitor the voting process. There will be three observers per check-in table: one worker who supports the union (union observer), one person representing Mercedes management (company observer), and one NLRB agent. All three people review the list before you get your ballot.
Will the company or my supervisor know how I voted?
No, it is a secret ballot election. But it is important to be visible in our support for the union so we can ensure a strong majority of our coworkers turn out to vote yes. Sign the public vote yes petition when you’re ready to be public with your union support.
GET YOUR T-SHIRT & GET OUT THE VOTE
T-Shirts, water bottles, and stickers are available at the office for pickup. Come get some merch and get out the UNION YES vote!
GET YOUR SHIRTIT’S TIME TO VOTE FOR A VOICE AT MERCEDES.
Mercedes workers are forming our union to win a better job, a better life and a better future. And now we have our election dates! Mercedes workers get to vote in a National Labor Relations Board election on May 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Election information is below and more details will be coming soon.
WE’RE VOTING UNION YES!
After hundreds and hundreds of conversations among Mercedes workers, we will now have the opportunity to vote to form a union. If a majority of us vote yes, Mercedes management will have a legal obligation to bargain with us. This is our opportunity to vote for a real voice at Mercedes.
WHY WE’RE WORKING TO BUILD OUR UNION AT MERCEDES
Mercedes workers from across the plant have signed our union cards. It’s how we form our union so we win can our fair share at Mercedes. If you haven’t signed a card yet Stand Up and JOIN THE UAW.
“In the past, people didn’t know if we had a pathway forward here. Now everybody’s coming together and seeing what the pathway is, and it’s through the union. When we get our union in here, I think people will once again look at Mercedes and say, it’s not just another job, it’s a career job. It’s a job where generations will want to come and work. And that’ll spread out to the suppliers and then to the broader area.”
JEREMY KIMBRELL
Measurement Machine Operator
Mercedes – Tuscaloosa
“I feel like we’re living to work when we should be working to live. I started as a temp making $17.50 an hour. I’m full time now, but I’m still living paycheck to paycheck. If I have a shopping spree, it’s for my work clothes, not fun clothes. If we had the union, we’d feel more protected, more at ease. We wouldn’t feel like a gazelle to a lion.”
MOESHA CHANDLER
Assembly Team Member
Mercedes – Tuscaloosa
“Their favorite line at Mercedes is thanks for your continued flexibility. It’s not flexibility. You’re being told this is what’s going to happen and you have no choice. When I was in body shop, they came to us on a Friday afternoon and told us we were going to have to work on Saturday. We called HR down and told them the handbook says you have to give us notice by Thursday afternoon. HR told us the handbook also says a senior manager can override anything in the handbook. Without a union, that’s going to continue to happen. With a union, we’ll have a contract with guaranteed protections, not a handbook they can rip up whenever they want.”
JACOB RYAN
KVP Team Member
Mercedes – Tuscaloosa
“I’ve seen so many changes, not for the better. Maybe management pretended to care about us before. Now they don’t even pretend. The wages, the long hours, the disrespect, it just adds up. We need to make a change for the better at Mercedes. We should be able to work, make decent money and spend time with our families.”
KAY FINKLEA
Quality Inspector
Mercedes – Tuscaloosa
“When Mercedes opened up, it was the shining three-point star of Alabama. That star has gone out. I’ve been here 27 years and the morale has been steady in the downward direction. Even when I started, I rotated shifts for 15 years, so I missed a lot of time with my kids when they were little. I’m on straight days now, but when a new model year comes out I can still work 12 out of 13 weekends. We have to have a voice to turn things around. The union is our voice. That’s how the new people coming in are going to be treated fairly. That’s how we end the two tiers.”
JIM SPITZLEY
Team Leader, Quality Voca Department
Mercedes – Tuscaloosa
“After 18 years, I’ve gained a total of five dollars an hour. And people coming up have it worse. We topped out in two years. Now it’s three years, and some people go through a temp agency for years before they even get on the pay scale. Mercedes executives get bonus checks that are bigger than our salary. That’s not fair. We need to stand up and make things right at Mercedes.”
DERRICK TODD
Online Quality
Mercedes – Tuscaloosa
“I was on door line for three years. There are constantly people going on restriction due to injury because it’s really hard on your hands. When my own hand started hurting after my first year on door line, I went to medical to see what was wrong—that’s what they are there for, right? I was told that I had “just overworked my tendon,” and was taken off that station for a day, and told that by the following day I should be fine. It has been nearly three years, and my hand is still not fine. It hurts every single day. I’ve been to two hand specialists plus physical therapy—my out of pocket expenses are up in the thousands now, and workers comp has paid for nothing. With Mercedes, it’s not about you, it’s not about your body or the damage being done to it by simply doing your job. It’s about hitting that number and keeping the line running. This doesn’t happen in Germany. They have a union. They have people representing them that make sure that things like this don’t happen. That’s why we need the union here. It’s never going to get better unless we make a change, and for change to happen, it has to start with us.”
KIMBERLY MCNAIR
KVP Team Member
Mercedes – Tuscaloosa
“I started working here in 2016 for a contractor that paid us pennies. I didn’t start at Mercedes until October of 2022, which puts me in the second tier, so I will top out at $27.50. Mercedes preaches a team atmosphere, however, all we are is numbers to them. There are many reasons that I feel we need a union, but most importantly we need to come together as a workforce, do away with the two-tier pay system, and improve our work-life balance. We can stand together and make Mercedes a place we want to work. Not where we have to work.”
RICK WEBSTER
A2–Panel Adjust
Mercedes – Tuscaloosa
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