Democratic senators urge automakers to remain neutral amid worker unionization push

A group of more than 30 Democratic senators is pushing major automakers to remain neutral amid worker efforts to unionize.

In a letter Thursday, the lawmakers asked 13 car manufacturers to pledge to not interfere with any efforts to unionize at their plants. 

“We believe a neutrality agreement is the bare minimum standard manufacturers should meet in respecting workers’ rights, especially as companies receive and benefit from federal funds related to the electric vehicle transition,” the senators wrote.

“We believe the electric vehicle transition will not and cannot come at the expense of workers’ ability to form a union and collectively bargain for the fair wages,” said the letter, which was led by Democratic Sens. Gary Peters (Mich.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Alex Padilla (Calif.), Laphonza Butler (Calif.) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio). 

The letter follows an agreement between the United Auto Workers union and automakers General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. 

Following that agreement, the union said it would push to organize workforces at automakers that currently do not have unions. 

The senators addressed their letter to the same 13 companies the union is targeting: BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Lucid, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Rivian, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.

The letter also expressed concerns about reports that some companies have “acted illegally to block unionization efforts.”

It invoked the National Labor Relations Board, saying the labor rights agency found Tesla “employed multiple illegal tactics aimed at stopping organizing efforts including online harassment, employee interrogations, and retaliatory firings.”

It also said employees have accused Volkswagen managers of confiscating and destroying pro-union materials and alleged that supervisors at Hyundai banned pro-union materials in non-work areas outside of working hours. 

A spokesperson for Hyundai denied the accusations, saying in an email that the union’s “recent accusations regarding Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama are not accurate, and we remain in compliance with the rules of the National Labor Relations Board.”

“For Hyundai’s operations in the U.S., the decision to be represented by a union is up to our team members,” the spokesperson said. “Hyundai provides excellent wages and benefits and maintains a strong culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement in all our operations.”

A spokesperson for Volkswagen also provided a statement denying the accusations. 

“Volkswagen refutes any claims of union-busting, intimidation or illegal violations of worker rights at our Chattanooga plant. The UAW has said Volkswagen confiscated and destroyed pro-union materials in the break room, but the reality is the break room was simply cleaned by maintenance staff as it is routinely,” the statement said. 

“We respect our workers’ right to decide the question of union representation. And we remain committed to providing accurate information that helps inform them of their rights and choices,” it continued.

The Hill has attempted to reach all the companies addressed in the letter. Many did not immediately respond; Rivian and Subaru declined to comment. 

The senators’ letter was first reported by Reuters.

Updated at 3:56 p.m. Jan. 4