January 2024 Group Watch: Gov. Ivey Stands Up to Union
With The United Automotive Workers union ramping up efforts to gain power among non-union automakers, including those in Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey recently penned a op-ed noting the state’s track record of success and position as a worldwide leader in automotive manufacturing while making her thoughts on the union matter clear. Here’s an excerpt: “September 30, 1993 marked a watershed moment in Alabama history. That is the day Mercedes-Benz went against the grain and chose our state to be the home of their first U.S. manufacturing facility. It was a decision that changed the future of our state like no one could have imagined. Fast forward more than thirty years, and Alabama is a top five automotive manufacturing state with five world-class Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) – Mecedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota and Mazda. These manufacturers are key drivers of our economy, but who drives their success? The answer is almost 50,000 hardworking Alabamians in the automotive manufacturing sector. Alabama has become a national leader in automotive manufacturing, and all this was achieved without a unionized workforce.”
