“WE ARE THE MAJORITY”: WORKERS AT MERCEDES-BENZ’S LARGEST US PLANT ANNOUNCE MAJORITY SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT TO JOIN UAW

VANCE, AL — A majority of workers at Mercedes-Benz’s largest plant in the United States, MBUSI in Vance, Alabama, have signed union cards in support of joining the UAW.

In a video announcement, Mercedes worker Jeremy Kimbrell, surrounded by his Mercedes coworkers, announces that “a majority of our coworkers at Mercedes here in Alabama have signed our union cards and are ready to win our union and a better life with the UAW.”

The full text of the announcement, and the video, are available below and media are encouraged to use the materials.

Kimbrell details several of the driving forces behind the workers’ grassroots campaign to join the UAW, including workers going many years without meaningful raises, a two-tier wage system, and the abuse of temporary workers. Each of these issues also figured prominently in the UAW’s Stand Up Strike at the Big Three, which has spurred an unprecedented amount of organizing activity and interest among America’s non-union autoworkers.

“There comes a time when enough is enough,” says Kimbrell. “Now is that time. We know what the company, what the politicians, and what their multi-millionaire buddies will say. They’ll say now is not the right time. Or that this is not the right way. But here’s the thing. This is our decision. It’s our life. It’s our community. These are our families. It’s up to us.”

The announcement marks the second plant to reach the majority milestone this month, after Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga reached majority support in early February. Over ten thousand non-union autoworkers across 14 auto companies have signed union cards and begun organizing to join the UAW in the wake of the historic Stand Up Strike victories at the Big Three.

Full text of MBUSI workers’ announcement of majority support to join the UAW: 

“We’re here today to make a major announcement. 

A majority of our coworkers at Mercedes here in Alabama have signed our union cards and are ready to win our union and a better life with the UAW. 

We haven’t taken this step lightly. 

For years, we’ve fallen further behind while Mercedes has made billions. 

After 2008 and 2009, some of our coworkers were forced to leave the company.  

Consecutive CEOs said they’d be brought back once things improved.  

Things did improve, but they were never allowed to return and were replaced within six months by temporary workers at half the pay. 

These same temporary workers then worked for up to eight years before receiving full time jobs.  

Also during this time, our management gave us a 42 cent raise over a six year period while making record profits.  

And these same record profits weren’t enough to prevent Mercedes from imposing an unfair two-tier pay scale just as our children were entering the workforce.  

We’ve learned that we can’t trust Mercedes with our best interests.  

There comes a time when enough is enough.  

Now is that time.  

We know what the company, what the politicians, and what their multi-millionaire buddies will say.  

They’ll say now is not the right time.  

that this is not the right way.  

But here’s the thing.  

This is our decision.  

It’s our life.  

It’s our community.  

These are our families.  

It’s up to us.  

It’s not up to Mercedes management or any politician or anyone else.  

We’re exercising our right to fight for a better life.  

And we won’t stop until we’ve made things right for the workers who build the cars and make the company run.  

We organized our plant by ourselves.  

We are our union.  

So we’re here to tell you that we are the majority.  

That Mercedes workers are ready to stand up.  

And we’re asking all of you watching this, whether you’re an autoworker at Mercedes or just someone who believes in a better life for working class people in Alabama and beyond: stand with us.  

Support our cause, and join our movement.  

Thank you. 

Stand Up!