Iħjut NLRB Biex Tmexxi smigħ dwar l-Allegata Intimidazzjoni tal-Ħaddiema fl-Impjant ta' Mercedes-Benz f'Alabama

Il-Bord Nazzjonali għar-Relazzjonijiet tax-Xogħol se jmexxi seduta ta' smigħ biex jiddiskuti allegazzjonijiet dwar imġiba maniġerjali Mercedes-Benzs Vance, impjant ta 'Alabama. Ir-rapporti ppreżentati quddiem il-Bord jallegaw li l-Mercedes kisret id-drittijiet tal-ħaddiema billi pprojbixxiet id-diskussjoni tal-unions waqt il-ħin tax-xogħol, kif ukoll heddet it-terminazzjoni tal-impjegati li talbu lill-union.
L-UAW takkuża lill-Mercedes li qed trażżan l-isforzi mill-impjegati biex jorganizzaw, bi ksur tal-Att dwar ir-Relazzjonijiet Nazzjonali tax-Xogħol. L-NLRB ċaħad ilment wieħed imressaq kontra l-kumpanija f'Awwissu tas-sena l-oħra. Iżda żewġ ilmenti oħra ppreżentati fil-ħarifa ġew aċċettati mill-NLRB bħala ksur possibbli tal-liġi tax-xogħol. Is-seduta, li se ssir fis-7 ta' April, se tippermetti liż-żewġ naħat jippreżentaw il-każ tagħhom quddiem imħallef. Ir-rakkomandazzjoni ta' dan l-imħallef se tinfluwenza d-deċiżjoni finali tal-NLRB. Deċiżjoni kontra l-ilment issaħħaħ il-pożizzjoni tal-Mercedes u l-unjins avversarji politiċi, iżda jekk l-NLRB isib ksur tal-liġi, jista' jkun kolp ta' stat kbir għall-UAW.
Dan huwa l-aħħar żvilupp f'kampanja kontinwa biex tgħaqqad l-impjant, li jibni l-Klassi M, R, u GL ħdejn Tuscaloosa. Impjegati favur l-unjoni jikkwotaw pagi staġnati u benefiċċji mnaqqsa bħala parti mir-raġuni tagħhom biex jikkunsidraw l-unjonizzazzjoni. Dan il-fuljett maħruġ mill-kumitat organizzattiv tal-UAW jallega li mill-2007, il-Mercedes naqqset il-pjanijiet tal-kura tas-saħħa għall-irtirati. Allegatament, l-impjegati mikrija wara l-2009 mhux se jkunu eliġibbli għal xi benefiċċji tas-saħħa tal-irtirar tkun xi tkun. L-impjegati esprimew ukoll tħassib dwar iż-żieda fl-użu ta' ħaddiema temporanji fl-impjant. Xorta oħrajn jindikaw tnaqqis ġenerali fir-relazzjoni bejn ix-xogħol u l-maniġment, b'ilmenti dwar applikazzjoni inkonsistenti tal-politika tal-kumpanija. Oħrajn jiċħdu l-ħtieġa ta' union, u jirrimarkaw li l-impjiegi bi ħlas għoli kienu skarsi fiż-żona qabel ma waslet il-Mercedes. Huma jibżgħu li l-UAW tista 'tagħmel ħsara lill-Mercedes ġirja reċenti ta' suċċess fl-Istati Uniti. Dan jinkludi espansjoni tal-impjant biex tinbena l-C-Class il-ġdida aktar tard din is-sena.
Għalkemm għadha ma rnexxilhiex torganizza l-impjant ewlieni tal-Mercedes, l-UAW kellha miżura ta' suċċess mal-fornituri tal-Mercedes. Il-produtturi tal-partijiet Faurecia, Inteva, ZF, u Johnson Controls f'żoni fil-qrib ilhom organizzati għal diversi snin. Huwa possibbli li l-UAW tista' tkun kapaċi tisfrutta dan is-suċċess mal-ħaddiema tal-pjanti f'Vance. Minkejja dan, l-unjonizzazzjoni ta 'manifattur ewlieni tal-karozzi tat-trapjant fi stat ta' dritt għax-xogħol tibqa 'kompitu ta' qtigħ il-qalb.

The National Labor Relations Board will conduct a hearing to discuss allegations regarding management conduct at Mercedes-Benzs Vance, Alabama plant. The reports filed with the Board allege that Mercedes violated workers rights by forbidding discussion of unions during working hours, as well as threatening termination of employees that solicited for the union.
The UAW accuses Mercedes of suppressing efforts by employees to organize, in violation of the National Labor Relations Act. Mercedes claims it has pursued a policy of neutrality regarding the unionization of its workforce. The NLRB dismissed one complaint filed against the company in August of last year. But two other complaints filed in the fall were accepted by the NLRB as possible violations of labor law. The hearing, to be conducted on April 7, will allow both sides to present their case before a judge. The recommendation of that judge will influence the final ruling by the NLRB. A ruling against the complaint would strengthen the position of Mercedes and the unions political opponents, but if the NLRB finds a violation of the law, it could be a major coup for the UAW.
This is the latest development in an ongoing campaign to unionize the plant, which builds the M, R, and GL Class near Tuscaloosa. Pro-union employees cite stagnating wages and reduced benefits as part of their reason for considering unionization. This leaflet issued by the UAW organizing committee alleges that since 2007, Mercedes has slashed healthcare plans for retirees. Supposedly, employees hired after 2009 will not be eligible for any retiree health benefits whatsoever. Employees have also voiced concern over the increased use of temporary workers at the plant. Still others point to a general decline in the relationship between labor and management, with complaints about inconsistent application of company policy. Others dismiss the need for a union, pointing out that high-paying jobs were scarce in the area before Mercedes arrived. They fear that the UAW may damage Mercedes recent run of success in the US. This includes an expansion of the plant to build the new C-Class later this year.
Although it has not yet succeeded in organizing the main Mercedes plant, the UAW has had a measure of success with Mercedes suppliers. The parts makers Faurecia, Inteva, ZF, and Johnson Controls in nearby areas have been organized for several years. Its possible that the UAW may be able to leverage this success with plant workers in Vance. Even so, the unionization of a major transplant automaker in a right-to-work state remains a daunting task.