Autoworkers at the Hyundai plant in Montgomery say they 'couldn't wait' as they announce unionization drive to join United Auto Workers (UAW) after 30% of workers signed union cards .
The announcement comes just three weeks after Alabama autoworkers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance went public with their campaign to join the UAW. In a video as part of the announcement, Hyundai workers channeled their civil rights heritage into their unionization efforts.
“Montgomery, Alabama, the city where Rosa Parks sat in and thousands of Hyundai workers are ready to stand up,” the workers said. “…Hyundai employees can't wait, our families can't wait, Montgomery can't wait. We're ready to stand up.”
Similar to Mercedes employees' announcements, Hyundai employees also expressed that they were promised good jobs and benefits, but either did not receive them or that quality had deteriorated over the years.
“That's when we felt like we needed a union,” said Kichelle Riggins, a Hyundai quality inspector. “My youngest son was scheduled to play a basketball game, so I planned a half-day vacation. Someone was supposed to come and rescue me, but no one came. Finally I timed out and I missed the first quarter of his game. They were still trying to write me a resignation letter. I had to go in front of team officials and tell them what happened and this personal day. I explained that it was a legitimate thing to spend a lot of time. Then the group leader stopped me and said that this job was more important than my family. At that moment, I just froze. I was disgusted. I knew things had gone too far at Hyundai.”
Several other Hyundai employees provided personal testimony about being forced to return to work with injuries. Drena Smith, who has worked for Hyundai for 19 years, mostly in the body paint shop, said the company “knocked me down.” Ms. Smith has undergone rotator cuff surgery on both of her shoulders and carpal tunnel surgery on one of her hands.
“I'm nearing retirement and the company literally beat me to the punch,” Smith said. “We need that compensation when we retire. It's not just discounts on cakes and cars that we can't buy because we have no income. We need real retirement. We need to win unions.”
General Assembly employee Peggy Howard was forced to return to work after undergoing surgery and is now facing complications as a result. Howard said unions are needed to make their jobs safer.
“When you get injured, management tries to get you back in action quickly,” Howard said. “I had rotator cuff surgery in September and had to go back to work at the end of December. It hasn't helped after two weeks and now the pain is coming back. I had a cortisone injection three weeks ago. I received the injection and am planning to go in for another shot. If that doesn't work, the doctor said I'll have to repeat the surgery. We need to make our jobs safer. We need unions.”
Based on the testimonies of workers at both Mercedes and Hyundai, joining the UAW will help them obtain better working conditions and a better quality of life. However, multiple stakeholders have expressed that unionization could have a negative impact on business interests in Alabama when it comes to the auto industry.
Following the announcement at the Mercedes plant, Gov. Kay Ivey, Alabama Business Council CEO Helena Duncan and Secretary of Commerce Ellen McNair all spoke out against unionizing. Mr. Ivey and Mr. Duncan have both published opinion pieces arguing that the auto industry provides workers with high salaries and livelihoods. But in Hyundai's video, workers say they are not realizing the benefits, even though the company's profits are through the roof.
Hyundai earned more than $9.7 billion in 2023, a record for the company.
“Hyundai's profits are extraordinary, but we are some of the lowest-paid auto workers in the country,” the workers said. “We're building cars. But we can't afford them. We've sweated it out. But we don't see a profit. While Alabama's autoworkers are falling behind. And Hyundai is making billions of dollars.”
Duncan said the BCA will also launch an information campaign called “Alabama Strong” to combat attempts to unionize in Alabama, or what might be considered union-busting efforts.
using ” Website, “Through online advertising and other forms of digital and social media, our campaign will provide Alabamians with a complete and thorough picture of the economic risks of unionizing,” Duncan wrote. Ta. “Alabama Strong” also suggests ways we can all stand up and dissuade the UAW from making our state its primary battleground. ”
McNair is letter On Wednesday, the union said it could jeopardize Alabama's economic future.
Despite concerns from business interests and claims that outside forces are targeting Alabama's valuable auto industry, workers are tired of intolerable working conditions and are demanding solutions to their problems. It is clear that And so far, for 30% of workers at two major auto industry factories, they believe the solution to the problem is to form a union.
