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TUSCALOOSA (dpa-AFX) - After its success at VW, the US union UAW has failed in its attempt to bring Mercedes workers at two plants in the state of Alabama under its umbrella. According to the results of the vote published on Friday, 56 percent were against union representation by the UAW. With a total of 4687 votes cast, 92 percent of employees took part, according to Mercedes.

This is a bitter setback for the US union UAW, which wants to extend its influence beyond the three American car giants. It has been weakly represented in southern states such as Alabama in particular. After UAW succeeded in becoming the union representative for American VW workers on its third attempt in April, it was hoping for more. The union is currently also trying to organize workers at Toyota in Kentucky and Hyundai in Alabama.

The union was recently given a boost by the fact that last fall, following a week-long strike at the US companies General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, it was able to secure better working conditions and wage increases of around 25 percent./so/DP/he