Here are some important UAW Myths and the Facts:

MYTH: A lot of workers are unionized. 

FACT: Only 5.9% of private sector workers in the United States are unionized. In Georgia, it’s 3.8% and in Alabama it’s 6.6%.  

MYTH: A union automatically improves pay and benefits.  

FACT: Nothing that union organizers promise is legally enforceable. Unions negotiate with employers, but outcomes may vary. Contracts can increase, decrease, or keep compensation the same.  

MYTH: Union dues only go toward bargaining.  

FACT: Dues often fund a range of activities, which may include administration, staff salaries, and legal costs.  

MYTH: Union dues only take a few dollars from your paycheck.  

FACT: UAW dues are 2.5x your straight hourly pay each month. So, if you make $23/hour, you will pay $57.50 each month in due. That adds up to $690.00 each year.  

MYTH: If a union vote is successful, all employees must be part of the union.  

FACT: In some locations, this is true. However, in Alabama and Georgia, Team Members are protected by the “Right-to-Work” laws. Under these laws, Team Members are not required to join a union or pay dues as a condition of employment. Team Members can choose to join voluntarily. However, even Team Members who do not join or pay dues are represented by the union.  

MYTH: A union contract can guarantee job security. 

FACT: Job security comes from the ability of a company to make a quality product at a competitive price that people want to pay and comes from a customer’s ability to rely on the Company to serve the customer’s needs.  

MYTH: Unionization is a quick process.  

FACT: Negotiating the first contract can take months or even years. Recently, UAW and Volkswagen spent almost 2 years negotiating their first contract! Union members paid their dues every month of those 2 years while they waited for that first contract.  

MYTH: Employees can’t talk directly with management once a union is in place.  

FACT: Employees can still communicate with supervisors, but certain topics – especially those related to wages, hours, and working conditions – may be restricted to union representatives during bargaining.  

MYTH: Voting for a union is the only way to address workplace concerns.  

FACT: Team Members at Mobis have a variety of ways to address workplace concerns, such as: Town Hall meetings, Round Table discussions, open door policies, Red Flag Reporting, and quarterly surveys.