Tag Archive for: Region 8

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TONIGHT: UAW President Shawn Fain & UAW Daimler Bargaining Committee to Announce Major Updates Ahead of Midnight Contract Expiration at Daimler Truck

VIRTUAL – On Friday, April 26 at 10pm ET, UAW President Shawn Fain, alongside the UAW Daimler Truck North America Bargaining Committee, will address Daimler workers and allies on Facebook Live just hours before the contract for the over 7,000 UAW workers expires at midnight.

Contract negotiations kicked off earlier this month, with the Daimler workers – who work in plants across North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia – demanding an agreement that reflects the record profits Daimler Truck has garnered and includes the long overdue fair wages and working conditions workers deserve.

The workers who build Freightliner trucks, Western Star trucks, and Thomas Built Buses are facing declining real wages and job security against a backdrop of rising cost of living and massive profits and shareholder payouts by Daimler Truck. Over the past six years, Daimler’s profits have increased by 90% while workers’ buying power has fallen 13%.

Tonight’s contract expiration comes just days after the UAW filed four separate unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Daimler Truck, citing violations of workers’ rights and federal labor laws amid ongoing contract negotiations.

Coming on the heels of the historic Stand Up Strike, and just one week after Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, TN, made history in the South voting to join the UAW, the Daimler workers’ fight is once again shining a light on the momentum of workers in the South and showing how this is not just about one worker or one industry. This fight is about all workers standing up and fighting for what they deserve.

Everywhere across the country, the story is the same: corporations, shareholders, and executives are lining their own pockets, while workers are going backwards. Daimler Truck workers have made it clear from day one – and from their resounding 96% strike authorization vote – they are united and ready to do what is necessary for their record contract.

WHAT: UAW President Shawn Fain & UAW Daimler Bargaining Committee to Announce Major Updates Ahead of Midnight Contract Expiration at Daimler Truck

WHO: 
UAW President Shawn Fain 
UAW Daimler Bargaining Committee
Daimler NC, TN, GA Workers
Allies

WHERE:  VIRTUAL UAW Facebook Live

WHEN: Friday, April 26 at 10pm ET

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UAW Files Four Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against Daimler Truck Amid Contract Talks

CHARLOTTE — On Tuesday, April 23, the UAW filed four separate unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Daimler Truck, citing violations of workers’ rights and federal labor laws amid ongoing contract negotiations. The agreement, covering more than 7,300 workers at plants in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, expires at midnight on Friday, April 26.

In response to these charges, UAW DTNA Council President Kenny Dellinger stated, “Daimler Truck thinks it can intimidate us by trampling on our rights. These unfair labor practice charges are a necessary step. It’s time for Daimler Truck to get serious about negotiating a record contract without violating the law.” 

The charges filed with the NLRB cite various violations by Daimler Truck, including but not limited to: 

  • Retaliation Against Union Activities: The UAW asserts that Daimler Truck has engaged in retaliatory actions against workers who have participated in union activities or expressed support for the union.
  • Interference with Workers’ Rights: The UAW claims that Daimler Truck has unlawfully interfered with workers’ rights to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in other concerted activities for mutual aid and protection.
  • Discrimination Against Union Members: The charges cite discriminatory treatment against workers based on their union membership or activities.
  • Failure to Bargain in Good Faith: The UAW contends that Daimler Truck has failed to bargain in good faith with the union regarding wages, benefits, and working conditions.

Daimler Truck workers are demanding an agreement that reflects the record profits the company has garnered and includes the long overdue fair wages and working conditions workers deserve.  

The workers who build Freightliner trucks, Western Star trucks, and Thomas Built Buses are facing declining real wages and job security even as Daimler Truck tallies record profits and makes massive payouts to shareholders. Over the past six years, Daimler’s profits have increased by 90% while workers’ buying power has fallen 13%.  

On the heels of the UAW’s historic Stand Up Strike and record contracts with the Big Three automakers, and as tens of thousands of workers across the country continue organizing to join the UAW, Daimler workers are standing up for equal pay for equal work, cost of living adjustments (COLA), job security and a better future for the working class. 

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In Historic Breakthrough, Volkswagen Workers Become First Southern Autoworkers to Win Their Union

CHATTANOOGA, TENN. — In a historic victory, an overwhelming majority of Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted to join the UAW. While votes continue to be tallied, the outcome is clear: Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga are the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win their union. 

Press can see the results of the election tonight at uaw.org/vwvote.

“This election is big,” said Kelcey Smith, a worker in the paint department at Volkswagen. “People in high places told us good things can’t happen here in Chattanooga. They told us this isn’t the time to stand up, this isn’t the place. But we did stand up and we won. This is the time; this is the place. Southern workers are ready to stand up and win a better life.”  

“We saw the big contract that UAW workers won at the Big Three and that got everybody talking,” said Zachary Costello, a trainer in VW’s proficiency room. “You see the pay, the benefits, the rights UAW members have on the job, and you see how that would change your life. That’s why we voted overwhelmingly for the union. Once people see the difference a union makes, there’s no way to stop them.”    

“This is a movement for every blue-collar worker in America,” said Doug Snyder, a body worker at Volkswagen. “Our vote shows that workers everywhere want a better life on and off the job. Fair pay is important, but so is time with our families. So is a voice for safety in our plant. We’re looking forward to getting to the bargaining table with the company and winning a contract that makes things right at Volkswagen.” 

5,000 workers at Mercedes-Benz in Vance, Ala., will have their vote to join the UAW on May 13 to 17. In the wake of the historic Stand Up Strike victory at the Big Three auto companies, over 10,000 non-union autoworkers have signed union cards in recent months, with public campaigns launched at Mercedes, Volkswagen, Hyundai in Montgomery, Ala., and Toyota in Troy, Mo. Workers at over two dozen other facilities are also actively organizing. For more information, visit uaw.org/join. 

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UAW Releases New Video, “Leftover Money,” on Daimler’s Shameless Profit-hoarding as Workers Prepare to Stand Up

DETROIT – The UAW just released “Leftover Money,” a new video detailing Daimler Truck’s record profits and their intentions to reward Wall Street, not the workers, with the spoils. It features testimony from workers reviewing the eyepopping profits and their demands to no longer play “second fiddle” when it comes to getting their fair share and raising standards.  

The video can be accessed at this link, and the media is invited to use the footage.  

The video digs down into statistics showing how UAW members have been left out in the cold as Daimler has funneled their record profits to CEOs and wealthy investors.  

In March, Daimler announced record results in 2023 and a robust outlook for 2024, including:  

  • Daimler made nearly $6 billion in 2023  
  • Profits increased 39% over 2022  
  • Over half of those profits were generated in North America  
  • The company plans to spend $2.1 billion on stock buybacks and intends to increase stock dividends by 46%  

After those announcements, Daimler’s stock jumped 18% in just one day. In interviews, Daimler CEO Martin Daum has bragged that:  

  • The company’s profits are “red hot”  
  • The “leftover money” belongs to the company’s stockholders  

Speaking direct to camera, the workers shared their message to the company: “We make the product. We make the profits. And it’s time to make things right. Our wages have fallen far behind. Our job security is on the chopping block. Our families and communities deserve better. And we’ve sacrificed long enough. We’re done playing second fiddle. It’s time for Daimler to invest in the American worker. The money is there. The cause is just. And the time is now.”  

The video launch comes just weeks after 7,000 Daimler Truck North America workers voted by 96% to authorize a strike if necessary. This overwhelming support shows the workers are determined to secure the record contract they’ve earned.  

Daimler Truck workers from six different local unions in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee have been holding practice pickets to demonstrate they won’t tolerate unfair labor practices like refusing to provide information, and that they are strike-ready. Practice pickets are not work stoppages; no entrances will be obstructed and workers will report to their shifts as usual. (Dates, times and locations of all practice pickets can be found here.)  

Bargaining with Daimler Truck management began on Tuesday, April 2, and the workers’ contract expires on April 26. The workers who build Freightliner trucks, Western Star trucks, and Thomas Built Buses are facing declining real wages and job security even as Daimler Truck tallies record profits and makes massive payouts to shareholders. Over the past six years, Daimler Truck’s profits have increased by 90% while workers’ buying power has fallen 13%.  

On the heels of the UAW’s historic Stand Up Strike and record contracts with the Big Three automakers, and as tens of thousands of workers across the country continue organizing to join the UAW, Daimler Truck workers are standing up in their fight for fair pay, cost of living adjustments (COLA), job security and a better future for working families.  

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Mercedes-Benz Workers in Alabama File for Union Election as Southern Autoworkers Stand Up to Join the UAW

VANCE, Ala. – A supermajority of Mercedes-Benz workers have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a vote to join the UAW. The over 5,000 workers at the Mercedes plant outside Tuscaloosa, Ala., are the second group of Southern autoworkers to call for a union election in less than three weeks. Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., filed for their election in mid-March and will have their vote to join the UAW April 17–19.  

A new video announcing the election filing at Mercedes features the Alabama autoworkers at a recent rally with UAW President Shawn Fain. In the video, Mercedes workers speak out on why they’re voting yes to join the UAW. (The media is invited to use footage from the video.) 

In a statement today, Jeremy Kimbrell, a measurement machine operator at Mercedes, said, “We are standing up for every worker in Alabama. At Mercedes, at Hyundai and at hundreds of other companies, Alabama workers have made billions of dollars for executives and shareholders, but we haven’t gotten our fair share. We’re going to turn things around with this vote. We’re going to end the Alabama discount.” 

“We are voting for safer jobs at Mercedes,” said Moesha Chandler, an assembly team member at Mercedes. “I’m still young, but I’m already having serious problems with my shoulders and hands. When you’re still in your twenties and your body is breaking down, that’s not right. By winning our union, we’ll have the power to make the work safer and more sustainable.” 

Mercedes management is running an aggressive anti-union campaign, but that has not blunted the workers’ momentum. By late February, less than two months after Mercedes workers went public with their drive to join the UAW, a majority of them had signed union cards. The Mercedes workers hope to be voting in their union election by early May. The NLRB is expected to quickly set the date for the election.  

The UAW has filed federal labor charges against Mercedes for illegal union busting, as well as charges in a German court for labor violations that could net billions in penalties for the German automaker. 

“We’re going to make Mercedes better with this vote,” said Jacob Ryan, a KVP team member at Mercedes. “Right now, the company keeps losing good people because they force them to work Saturdays at the last second, to take shifts that mess with their family lives. And the only choice people have is to take it or quit. With the union, we’ll have a voice for fair schedules that keep workers at Mercedes.” 

The Mercedes workers are part of the national movement of non-union autoworkers organizing to join the UAW in the wake of the historic Stand Up Strike victory at the Big Three auto companies. Over 10,000 non-union autoworkers have signed union cards in recent months, with public campaigns launched at Mercedes, Volkswagen, Hyundai in Montgomery, Ala., and Toyota in Troy, Mo. Workers at over two dozen other facilities are also actively organizing. For more information, visit uaw.org/join. 

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UAW President Shawn Fain and Hundreds of Workers Kicking Off Daimler Truck Contract Talks Tuesday with Livestreamed Rally

STATESVILLE, N.C. — On Tuesday, April 2, UAW President Shawn Fain will rally in North Carolina with Daimler Truck workers as contract negotiations covering 7,000 UAW members get underway. The workers are demanding an agreement that includes the long overdue fair wages and working conditions they deserve.

Tuesday’s 6 p.m. ET rally will be livestreamed at the UAW’s Facebook page. It can also be viewed at the UAW’s YouTube Channel. (Media are invited to use the footage.)

Bargaining with Daimler Truck management begins on Tuesday morning and the workers’ contract expires on April 26. Fain and UAW members at Daimler are standing up and speaking out against the workers’ unfair pay and worsening working conditions.

The workers who build Freightliner trucks, Western Star trucks, and Thomas Built Buses are facing declining real wages and job security even as Daimler Truck tallies record profits and makes massive payouts to shareholders. Over the past six years, Daimler’s profits have increased by 90% while workers’ buying power has fallen 13%.

Tuesday’s rally with Fain comes just weeks after 7,000 Daimler Truck North America workers voted by 96% to authorize a strike if necessary. This overwhelming support shows the workers are determined to secure the record contract they’ve earned.

On the heels of the UAW’s historic Stand Up Strike and record contracts with the Big Three automakers, and as tens of thousands of workers across the country continue organizing to join the UAW, Fain will stand with Daimler workers in their fight for fair pay, cost of living adjustments (COLA), job security and a better future for working families. 

WHAT:   
UAW President Shawn Fain to Rally with Hundreds of Daimler Truck Workers as Contract Talks Begin

WHEN:   
Tuesday, April 2, at 6 p.m. ET 
*Press should arrive by 5:45 p.m. ET

WHERE:  
UAW Local 3520
2290 Salisbury Hwy.
Statesville, NC 28677 

WHO:    
UAW President Shawn Fain 
UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith
UAW Local 3520 President Corey Hill 
UAW Local 5285 President Ricky McDowell 
North Carolina State AFL-CIO President MaryBe McMillan
Daimler Truck workers and Allies

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Volkswagen Workers in Chattanooga Will Vote in Their Union Election on April 17–19

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — More than 4,000 Volkswagen workers are set to vote in their union election on April 17, 18 and 19. The National Labor Relations Board has scheduled the election and will oversee the secret-ballot vote at the VW plant in Chattanooga.  

“We’re voting yes to win a better life for ourselves and our families,” said Isaac Meadows, an assembly worker at Volkswagen. “We need a say in our schedules, benefits, pay, and more. We’re proud to work at Volkswagen, but we also know the value of a voice at work.” 

The VW workers filed for the election last week after a supermajority of them signed union cards. The VW workers reached a majority on cards in early February, just two months after launching their public campaign to join the UAW.  

The April 17–19 election at Volkswagen marks the latest breakthrough in the national movement of non-union autoworkers organizing to join the UAW. The movement was inspired by the record contracts UAW members won during last year’s Stand Up Strike against the Big Three auto companies.  

Over 10,000 non-union autoworkers have signed union cards in recent months, with public campaigns launched at VW, Mercedes in Vance, Ala., Hyundai in Montgomery, Ala., and Toyota in Troy, Mo. Workers at more than two dozen other facilities are also actively organizing. For more information, visit uaw.org/join. 

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Volkswagen Workers File for Union Election to Join UAW

Chattanooga, TN – Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a vote to join the UAW, after a supermajority of Volkswagen workers have signed union cards in just 100 days.

In a new video, Volkswagen workers speak out on why they’re voting yes to join the UAW.

“Today, we are one step closer to making a good job at Volkswagen into a great career,” said Isaac Meadows, a production team member in assembly. “Right now, we miss time with our families because so much of our paid-time-off is burned up during the summer and winter shutdowns. We shouldn’t have to choose between our family and our job. By winning our union and a real voice at Volkswagen, we can negotiate for more time with our families.”

“We are voting yes for our union because we want Volkswagen to be successful,” said Victor Vaughn, a logistics team member at VW. “Volkswagen has spent billions of dollars expanding in Chattanooga, but right now safety is a major issue in our plant. Just the other day, I was almost hit by four 500-plus pound crates while I was driving to deliver parts. That incident should’ve been followed up within the hour, but even after I clocked out no one asked me about it. VW has partnered with unionized workforces around the world to make their plants safe and successful. That’s why we’re voting for a voice at Volkswagen here in Chattanooga.”

“I come from a UAW family, so I’ve seen how having our union enables us to make life better on the job and off,” said Yolanda Peoples, a production team member in assembly. “We are a positive force in the plant. When we win our union, we’ll be able to bargain for a safer workplace, so people can stay on the job and the company can benefit from our experience. When my father retired as a UAW member, he had something to fall back on. VW workers deserve the same.”

The milestone marks the first non-union auto plant to file for a union election among the dozens of auto plants where workers have been organizing in recent months. The grassroots effort sprang up in the wake of the record victories for Big Three autoworkers in the UAW’s historic Stand Up Strike win.

The Chattanooga plant is Volkswagen’s only U.S. assembly plant and employs over 4,000 autoworkers. It is the only Volkswagen plant globally with no form of employee representation.

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Researchers at National Institutes of Health Vote to Unionize by Nearly 98%

In a historic outcome, early-career researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, have voted by nearly 98% to form a union, NIH Fellows United-UAW. 1,601 workers voted in favor of unionizing, with only thirty-six voting against.

This is the first union within the U.S. federal government for research fellows, which includes postbaccalaureate, predoctoral, and postdoctoral researchers.

“We won our union!” NIH Fellows United-UAW announced on the social media platform X after the voting process was completed. “We are the largest union of federal employees to form in more than a decade, and the first union of Fellows ever at a federal research facility. We’ve made history together.”

In June of this year, workers filed with the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to form their union. In July, the NIH questioned the legal standing of fellows unionizing, submitting paperwork to the FLRA stating many of the potential union members weren’t employees and thus, didn’t have the right to form a union. The following month, NIH dropped opposition, paving the way for the vote.

Improved pay and working conditions and enhanced protections against harassment and excessive workloads are the primary issues workers would like to see addressed in a first contract between their union and the NIH.

“I’d like to welcome the NIH unit to the UAW,” Region 8 Director Tim Smith said. “I am looking forward to meeting and shaking the hands of each and every one of these new members. We will stand hand-in-hand to achieve a contract that helps them build a better life. They may be the first union in Region 8 for government researchers, but working together, it won’t be the last.”

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Volkswagen Workers, Faith Coalition, and UAW President Shawn Fain to Visit Chattanooga Plant to Demand VW Stop Union-Busting; Union Files New Federal Labor Charges Against Unlawful VW Policies

Chattanooga, Tenn. — At noon on Monday, December 18th, UAW President Shawn Fain will accompany a delegation of Volkswagen workers and community and faith leaders to deliver a letter to Volkswagen management demanding the company end its union-busting and intimidation, as workers organize to join the UAW. 

“These workers at your plant are our neighbors, congregants, family, and friends, and we applaud them for having the courage to demand better for themselves and our community,” reads the letter from CALEB (Chattanoogans in Action for Love, Equality and Benevolence), a community and faith coalition advocating for economic justice in Chattanooga. “However, we are deeply concerned by the stories Chattanooga workers have shared with us regarding Volkswagen’s efforts to stop them—in some cases illegally—from exercising their rights.” 
 
On Monday, December 11, Volkswagen workers filed federal unfair labor practice charges against Volkswagen for illegally intimidating, interfering with, and spying on pro-union workers. 

Today, VW workers are filing another federal labor charge against the company for unlawful company policies concerning social media, dress code, and flyering that have a chilling effect on workers’ rights to stand up and speak out publicly about their working conditions and the need to unionize. 

Volkswagen’s illegal actions come on the heels of the UAW announcing that well over 1,000 workers, making up over 30 percent of the Chattanooga plant, have signed union cards as part of a national movement of non-union autoworkers organizing to join the UAW in the wake of the union’s record contract victories at Ford, GM, and Stellantis. 

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TONIGHT: UAW President Shawn Fain & UAW Daimler Bargaining Committee to Announce Major Updates Ahead of Midnight Contract Expiration at Daimler Truck

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