The South auto workers rise to the challenge,
again.
Workers at two Mercedes Benz factories in Alabama have voted against joining the United Auto Workers, the largest autoworkers union in the U.S.
Big blow to an effort to strengthen the presence of organized labor in the South.
The Friday vote was seen as a bellwether for the ability of newly resurgent labor groups to successfully organize in a part of the country known for keeping union activity at bay.
The final count was 2,045 in favor and 2,642 against, according to the National Labor Relations Board, 56 per cent to 44 per cent.
Not even close
Activists acknowledged that many workers who were unhappy with working conditions at Mercedes were also reluctant to join the union, swayed by warnings from company executives and STATE and LOCAL REPUBLICAN politicians that membership would lead to onerous dues and loss of control over their jobs.