Autoblog

UAW invokes civil rights movement in bid to unionize Nissan plant

Zach Bowman — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 10:14:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Nissan, UAW/Unions

The United Auto Workers continues to pursue the unionization of a foreign automaker's plant in the U.S. and has redoubled its efforts on the Nissan facility in Canton, Mississippi. According to Reuters, the union plans to paint the organization effort as "the civil rights battle of the 21st century." Gary Casteel, one of the UAW's highest-ranking officials in the South has been quoted as saying the civil rights experience was fought in Mississippi. Since 70 percent of the Canton workforce is black, the UAW hopes the civil rights card will bring more votes toward unionization.

It's unclear whether the tactic will resonate with workers as the UAW has had little luck getting a foreign-owned plant to organize over the past 30 years. The union has pressed Nissan especially hard by attempting to unionize the company's Smyrna, Tennessee plant twice. Workers voted against the move both times. UAW President Bob King says that his organization needs to incorporate foreign-owned plants if it intends to survive. The UAW has seen membership slide off to a quarter of its numbers in 1979.

The Canton plant employs 3,900 workers and will soon be home to the next-generation Sentra. According to the Reuters report, the average full-time worker there earns $59,600 per year, with five hours of overtime per week. Veteran UAW workers, meanwhile, bring home $69,500 per year.

UAW invokes civil rights movement in bid to unionize Nissan plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan's Mississippi plant is chief UAW target

Chris Tutor — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Nissan, UAW/Unions

Historically, automotive plants in the South have been impervious to efforts by organization drives by the United Auto Workers. In 2001, the UAW was rejected two-to-one by Nissan workers at its Smyrna, Tenn. plant. And in 2005 and 2007, the UAW failed to get enough interest at Nissan's plant in Canton, Miss.

But the UAW is reportedly ready to give it a go again in Canton. Union officials say the group has been discussing the possibility with workers there, and reactions are not all positive. UAW President Bob King says Nissan officials have been actively trying to dissuade its Canton employees from cooperating with the union by using scare tactics.

"Fear and intimidation should not be part of the equation when workers are deciding whether they want to be represented by the union," King is quoted saying in the Reuters article. "Workers should be able to hear equally from both sides and make a decision for themselves."

In Nissan's defense, a company spokesman says the accusations of intimidation are not true.

If it is to succeed in Canton, the UAW will need to win over the workers, but to do so, it will likely have to overcome Nissan's apparent objections as well as the anti-union attitudes of politicians. Miss. Gov. Ken Bryant has in the past said "he would step in if the UAW tried to organize a plant in the state," Reuters reports.

Nissan's Canton plant builds five models, including the 2013 Altima, which has just entered production last week.

Nissan's Mississippi plant is chief UAW target originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan's Ghosn directly confirms next-generation Titan pickup

Chris Paukert — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Truck, Nissan

This afternoon at a Detroit Auto Show media roundtable event, Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn unequivocally confirmed that Nissan will build a next-generation Titan pickup. "We are going to replace it. We are going to present in every segment in the market in the United States." Previous news stories indicated that Nissan was pursuing a new Titan, but persistent reports indicated that the automaker would pursue an outside partner for the vehicle's development.

A subsequent Autoblog discussion with a Nissan official revealed that not only is the company developing the next-generation Titan right now - internally and without another automaker as a partner - it's not that far off. Our source confirms that Nissan will first show the truck "in about a year's time" and the vehicle will likely go on sale as a 2014 model, consistent with earlier reports.

One of the chief issues the current Titan has faced, according to our source, has been its limited configurability versus competitors' offerings. But the next-generation Titan won't make this same mistake - it will offer multiple engines and cab configurations.

Nissan first introduced the Canton, Mississippi-built Titan in 2004, but it's suffered from slow sales and limited updates. More recently, The Japanese marque entered the North American commercial truck market with its NV van line, but in 2011, it only managed to sell around 6,500 units.

Nissan's Ghosn directly confirms next-generation Titan pickup originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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