Republican governors from six states condemn UAW campaigns, citing potential for layoffs

DETROIT
—
Republican
governors
of
six
states
on
Tuesday
condemned
the
United
Auto
Workers’
push
to

organize
automotive
factories
in
the
South,
warning
the
union’s
efforts
could
lead
to
layoffs
and
fewer
future
investments.

The

joint
statement
—
signed
by
governors
in
Alabama,
Georgia,
Mississippi,
South
Carolina,
Tennessee
and
Texas
—
comes
a
day
before
Volkswagen
workers
in
Chattanooga,
Tennessee,
begin
voting
on
whether
to
join
the
UAW.

The
VW
vote
is
part
of
an
unprecedented
labor
organizing
drive
announced
last
year
by
UAW
President
Shawn
Fain
that
targets
13
automakers

operating
in
southern
states
and
elsewhere.
Last
year
the
union
negotiated
record
contracts
with


General
Motors,


Ford
Motor
and
Chrysler
parent


Stellantis.

The
elected
state
leaders,
including
Tennessee
Gov.
Bill
Lee,
argue
such
contracts
provide
short-term
assistance
but
have
long-term
negative
implications
on
jobs
and
investments.

“We
have
worked
tirelessly
on
behalf
of
our
constituents
to
bring
good-paying
jobs
to
our
states.
These
jobs
have
become
part
of
the
fabric
of
the
automotive
manufacturing
industry.
Unionization
would
certainly
put
our
states’
jobs
in
jeopardy
—
in
fact,
in
this
year
already,
all
of
the
UAW
automakers
have
announced
layoffs,”
read
the
statement.

The
UAW,
which
is
also
in
the
process
of

organizing
a
vote
of
Mercedes-Benz
workers
in
Alabama,
did
not
immediately
respond
for
comment.

Since
the
ratified
UAW
contracts
with
the
Detroit
automakers,
there
have
been
buyout
offers,
as
well
as
layoffs
of
salaried
and
hourly
workers
at
the
companies.

Automakers
have
been
cutting
costs
in
part
to
invest
billions
in
all-electric
vehicles,
as
well
as
to
prepare
for
slowing
market
conditions
and
fears
of
an
economic
downturn.

Stellantis
—
a
product
of
a
January
2021
merger
between
Fiat
Chrysler
and
PSA
Groupe
—
has
led
the
cuts,
but
many
have
been of
supplemental,
or
temporary,
workers
who
do
not
have
the
same
pay
or
benefits
as
traditional
assembly
plant
workers
under
the
deals.

The
transatlantic
automaker

has
reportedly
cut
more
than
1,000
supplemental
workers
this
year,
citing
a
review
of
its
manufacturing
operations “to
ensure
all
facilities
are
operating
as
efficiently
as
possible
in
very
challenging
market
conditions
with
all
actions
in
accordance
with
the
2023
Collective
Bargaining
Agreement”
with
the
UAW.
It’s
also
cut
shifts
at
two
Jeep
plants
at
least,
citing
the
complexity
of
the
agreements
among
other
reasons.

Ford
has
offered
voluntary
buyouts
to
its
workers
and
announced
layoffs,
but
many
of
its
laid-off
workers
were
transferred
to
other
nearby
facilities.

GM
also
is
offering
voluntary
buyouts,
though
its
post-contract
layoffs
have
largely,
if
not
completely,
dealt
with
factory
changes.
For
example,
the

company
laid
off
1,300
workers
in
Michigan
due
to
the
end
of
vehicle
production
at
two
plants.

Aside
from
Tennessee’s
Lee,
other
Republican
governors
to
sign
the
statement
were:
Alabama
Gov.
Kay
Ivey,
Georgia
Gov.
Brian
Kemp,
Mississippi
Gov.
Tate
Reeves,
South
Carolina
Gov.
Henry
McMaster
and
Texas
Gov.
Greg
Abbott.

Correction:
This
article
has
been
updated
to
reflect
that
Tate
Reeves
is
the
governor
of
Mississippi.
An
earlier
version
misstated
the
state.