The ongoing push to keep the UAW and labor unions out of foreign automobile manufacturing plants in the South continues. Mercedes got a slap on the wrist for impeding union literature in its Alabama plant while Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam continues to fight against UAW representation at Volkswagen’s only U.S.-based factory. With the auto industry being so heavily entrenched with labor unions, is the fight to keep them out futile?

In a recent AP story, it was reported that The National Labor Relations Board upheld a ruling that Mercedes violated federal labor laws by stopping UAW union supporters from handing out literature inside its Alabama plant.

As a result, Mercedes must update its employee handbook to say that workers are allowed to discuss union issues during non-work times and that they can solicit their colleagues in mixed-use areas like team centers and atriums. The factory must also post notices to acknowledge the violation and to reaffirm that management won't "interfere with, restrain, or coerce" workers seeking to unionize the plant.

"We clearly feel there are certain places in the plant that are work places, and not places where we would want materials like that being distributed, regardless of whether that's for or against the union," said Jason Hoff, the plant’s president and CEO, back in September. "It has nothing really to do with being against or for the UAW or any other union."

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