Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled a list of questions frequently asked by Team Members on the question of whether a union should represent employees at HMMA.
The first thing to remember about union promises is they are not legally enforceable, meaning the union can promise anything they want during a campaign but they do not have to deliver on the promise.
In the 2019 negotiations with the Detroit Three automakers, the union told their members they would bring back pension plans. The union failed to deliver.
Again, in their most recent negotiations with the Detroit Three, the union told their members they would bring back pension plans. The union failed to deliver.
Members did not receive anything close to a pension.
In fact, no UAW member hired by the Detroit Three after 2007 has a pension. They only have a 401(k).
Anything can happen during the collective bargaining process.
HMMA Team Members have a 401(k) that includes a 100% match for the first 4% of Team Member contributions, plus the Strategic Retirement Contribution of 2% to 4% of a Team Member’s annual base salary to the 401(k).
In 2023, Team Members making the top wage and contributing 4% to their 401(k) during the
entire year, received an additional $3,500 to $4,700 towards their retirement depending on
their length of service.
Third party representation of HMMA Team Members regarding the terms and conditions of their employment is not only unnecessary but interferes with the Team Built Team Strong philosophy upon which our success together is founded.
Direct, open communication when it comes to your working conditions is the best way to make sure your unique voice is heard and that the concerns most important to you are addressed. Having a union could mean giving a shop steward or business agent as your exclusive representative the right to decide for you and other Team Members what is most important to raise with HMMA.
HMMA continues to work very hard to provide you with the best jobs and benefits in the River Region through the flexibility we now have. Remember, all the progress we have made since 2005 has been achieved without a third party.
Together, as one team, we can share in the credit of making HMMA stronger by continuing to build the safest and highest quality vehicles for Hyundai’s valued customers.
Right now, the United Autoworkers is trying to convince HMMA Team Members to sign or e-sign union authorization cards.
Unions are always looking for new, dues-paying members and you and your fellow HMMA Team Members could be prime targets
A union card, whether paper or electronic, is a legal and binding document that when signed gives the union the right to speak and bargain for you regarding your wages, hours, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment.
These cards can be physical or virtual. A union “card” could be a sign up sheet at a meeting or accessed through a Facebook Page, a website, a phone app or even a text message. These cards are typically valid for one year.
You have the right to refuse to sign a card. Be careful what you sign and know what you are signing.
Signing a card can carry potential consequences that you were not aware of or you do not agree with:
A union cannot guarantee you anything. To convince you to sign, unions can make promises that the law says they are not obligated to keep.
If a majority of Team Members sign a card in any department, the UAW could demand recognition plant-wide or in those departments.
Once a demand of recognition is made, new rules from the National Labor Relations Board mean HMMA may be required to unionize without a secret ballot election showing majority support. This means a Team Member may not have the option to later vote “NO” if they change their mind after signing a card.
Once you sign a card (whatever form it may be in), it may be difficult to “undo” your signature.
So, before you sign any form of union card, make sure you have all the facts.