UAW TO PICKET TOYOTA DEALERS?

AIADA Responds to UAW President's Inflammatory Statements Picketing Dealerships will Hurt Employees and Communities Alexandria, VA – The American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) today responded to statements made by newly-elected United Auto Workers (UAW) President Bob King in which he called for union members to picket Toyota dealerships in an effort to force workers at Toyota manufacturing facilities to join his union. “Attacking small businesses won’t help Mr. King build back UAW membership,” said AIADA President Cody Lusk. “If he wants to pressure the 28,000 workers at Toyota’s U.S. manufacturing plants to unionize, he should consider some other method than hindering business at a randomly chosen Toyota dealership. A picket line will only hurt the dealership, its employees, and the community it serves. An assault on America’s auto retail industry will only serve to highlight the disconnect between the UAW and reality.” AIADA represents 10,000 dealers of 29 international automotive brands. Those dealers employ more than 500,000 workers and have so far sold 2,530,819 vehicles in 2010, more than half of which were built here in the United States. Toyota announced this week that despite the economic downturn, it will keep its promise to the people of Mississippi and open a Corolla plant there in 2011. It will employ some 2,000 workers.