Deutschland Meets Detroit: UAW partners with German union to launch all-out invasion of Mercedes & VW plants in U.S.

For a long time, foreign automakers have viewed the UAW as a “disaster.” The union’s reputation is not undeserved, one might add.

Not withstanding the UAW’s contribution to the decline of Detroit’s Big Three, it’s been more than two years since the UAW’s Bob King announced his union’s intent to “shame” foreign auto makers into unionizing their American workers through “blackmail.”

Moreover, it’s been nearly two years since the UAW’s King began talks with the German union IG Metal and VW’s works council.

With some set backs, to date, progress at unionizing foreign automakers’ U.S. operations has been slow going for Detroit’s most progressive union boss–to say the least.

Now, even as the UAW fights with its own employees, things have begun to heat up in the South.

The UAW and IG Metal have teamed up to unionize the workers at Mercedes-Benz’ plant in Alabama and VW’s plant in Tennessee.

Although both plants are in Right-to-Work states, unionization of one or both plants would be a huge boost to the failing union–especially in Alabama, where Mercedes is adding 1,000 more workers.

The UAW has now set up a website aimed at attracting Mercedes workers to the union.

As part of the unions’ mission, the website states:

To build a local union that supports the growth, success and mission of Mercedes; supports the individual dignity of each Mercedes worker; helps build a stronger local community; and keeps good quality jobs in Tuscaloosa. [Emphasis added.]

Clearly, the UAW and IG Metal are banking on Mercedes workers not having seen pictures of Detroit lately.

In addition to some clear rosy-eyed revisionism on the website, the unions have a pop-up video that seems geared toward getting the Alabama workers to march lockstep into…marching.

Whether or not the UAW and its new German ally, IG Metal, will be able to convince the Mercedes and VW workers to forfeit their right to speak for themselves to the UAW remains to be seen.

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