In the wake of a landslide union vote at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant, Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee has stirred controversy by stating that the workers made a mistake in their decision to unionize under the United Auto Workers (UAW). The vote, which saw 73% of workers in favor of union representation, marked the first time a foreign-owned auto plant in the South has unionized, and has been hailed as a significant victory for the UAW.
"I think it's unwise to put your future in somebody else's hands," Gov. Lee said at an event in Gallatin, adding that he believes the vote was "a loss for workers." Despite acknowledging that the choice was ultimately up to the workers, Lee's comments have drawn criticism from those who see the vote as a positive step for workers' rights and a potential catalyst for further unionization efforts across the country.
Shawn Fain, the newly elected president of the UAW, has been vocal in his support of the Volkswagen workers and his confidence in the union's ability to secure more wins in the future. In an interview with the Guardian, Fain declared, "The workers at VW are the first domino to fall. They have shown it is possible. I expect more of the same to come. Workers are fed up."
Fain's optimism is buoyed by the upcoming unionization vote at the Mercedes plant in Vance, Alabama, where 5,000 workers are set to cast their ballots from May 13-17. Despite Mercedes' more outspoken opposition to the union compared to Volkswagen, Fain remains confident, stating, "At the end of the day, I believe that workers at Mercedes definitely want a union, and I believe a big majority there will vote in favor."
The UAW president also took aim at the six Southern governors who had condemned the union's campaign, calling them "liars" and "puppets for corporate America." Fain accused the governors of not caring about working-class people and only serving the interests of the "billionaire class and corporate class."
"These politicians are showing that they're just puppets for corporate America, and they don't give a damn about working-class people," Fain said. "They don't care about the workers being left behind even though the workers are the ones who elect them."
Fain's strong words come in response to a joint letter issued by the Republican governors of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas, in which they denounced the UAW as "special interests looking to come into our state and threaten our jobs."
As the UAW sets its sights on organizing more auto plants across the country, including Tesla's factories, Fain acknowledges that some companies may prove more hostile to unionization efforts than others. However, he remains steadfast in his belief that workers have the right to choose, regardless of the stance taken by CEOs like Elon Musk.
"At the end of the day, it's the workers' choice. It's not Elon Musk's choice," Fain emphasized. "As we continue to organize more and more companies, that makes it more and more inevitable that it [unionizing Tesla] is going to happen."
The debate surrounding unionization in the auto industry has also drawn the attention of President Joe Biden, who has been a vocal supporter of workers' rights and has praised the UAW's efforts. Fain commended Biden for his support, noting that the president had become the first sitting president to walk a union picket line when he joined a UAW strike in Michigan last September.
