Unions, including the United Auto Workers, are not welcome in South Carolina, according to Gov. Nikki Haley. Following an appearance at an automotive conference in South Carolina, the Republican governor told The Greenville News Wednesday that unions are “distractions” and it’s her job to keep them out of her state.
DETROIT, MI- Unions, including the United Auto Workers, are not welcome in South Carolina, according to Gov. Nikki Haley.
Following an appearance at an automotive conference in South Carolina, the Republican governor told The Greenville News Wednesday that unions are “distractions” and it’s her job to keep them out of her state.
“We discourage any companies that have unions from wanting to come to South Carolina because we don’t want to taint the water,” she said in a two-minute video posted by the newspaper.
Haley also said unions are "desperate" and attempting to get into anywhere they can.
Haley’s comments come less than a week after Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn. voted against UAW representation.
The multiyear effort to organize Volkswagen's only U.S. plant was defeated on a 712-626 vote Friday night.
UAW officials said they were “outraged by politicians and outside special interest groups interfering" with the election, but “proud” that some workers stood up in support of union representation.
Unions -- particularly the UAW -- have a major presence in Michigan, but little representation in the south. That could change though, as Michigan last year became the 24th "Right-to-Work" state, which prohibits new contracts that require workers to pay union dues or agency fees as a condition of employment.
View the embedded video to hear all of Haley’s anti-union comments.