Alabama

At Montgomery rally, Hyundai workers describe difficult working conditions • Alabama Reflector

Published

2 years ago

May 14, 2024

At Montgomery rally, Hyundai workers describe difficult working conditions • Alabama Reflector

Workers at Montgomery’s Hyundai plant described difficult working conditions and arbitrary scheduling at a rally Monday evening led by clergy and faith leaders.

The rally came amid a campaign led by the United Auto Workers to unionize the factory and an ongoing vote this week at Mercedes-Benz’s plant in Vance on whether to organize under the UAW.

“We have actually no voice inside of work,” said Gilbert Brooks, a 15-year veteran of the plant who works on machines that take sheet metal and shape them into vehicle parts. “Basically, it is one-sided. Pretty much what Hyundai says goes. They make and break their own rules. Pretty much, you can’t make plans because Hyundai has control basically.”

Brooks, who has been working to unionize the plant since 2014, and several of his colleagues described difficult work conditions, including irregular scheduling.

“If they say we are going to work this Saturday, then they can change it on a dime,” Brooks said. “If they say we don’t have to work, they can change that also. Basically, it is either you do, or you don’t.”

Others pointed to limited bathroom breaks and high temperatures that make it difficult to remain hydrated as they work.

“When I mean extremely hot, it gets so hot in there that you sweat,” said Robert Stozer, another Hyundai plant employee. “Some people have passed out there with the working conditions when it gets hot in the summertime.”

Nearly all those who spoke said they have dealt with health issues as a result of working at the plant. Brooks said he has had operations to address issues with his neck and rotator cuff. Kissy Cox, another Hyundai employee who spoke Monday, said she has had carpal tunnel surgery.

“I got another appointment, at the end of this month, because now my finger — if I close my hand — my middle finger, I have to lift it up with my other hand,” she said. “You have to keep working in the same conditions, with your hands hurting, until you see a doctor.”

Hyundai announced in 2002 that it would open a plant in Montgomery, lured like other auto manufacturers by low labor costs and a large government incentive package ($252.8 million) that included tax abatements, corporate income tax credits and road improvements. The factory opened in 2005.

UAW said in February that 30% of the workers at the Hyundai plant had signed union authorization cards, though it has not provided updates on the numbers since. Employees said they have made steady progress but were waiting to call a vote, and said they have faced push back from management.

“One thing they will do to make it difficult is tell people the plant is going to leave,” Stozer said. “They put all kinds of anti-union stuff on the television, and what the union cannot guarantee, and put all the thoughts into their mind so that they are scared.”

Efforts to form unions have been gathering momentum throughout the South. Volkswagen workers in Tennessee last month voted to organize a union. Mercedes-Benz’s union vote is the first to take place at that plant since it opened in 1997.

The union drives have come under sharp attack from state officials.

Gov. Kay Ivey has called unions “out of state interest groups” and on Monday signed SB 231 sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, which bans companies from receiving economic development incentives if they voluntarily recognize unions.

Another issue the employees cited was retirement.

“Once we leave, we have no insurance, nothing,” Brooks said. “We are just used, washed up, that is it. A 401K is not a pension, and for the work that we have done, that is what we need, something to continue to help us once we leave.”

The event was hosted by Bishop William J. Barber, II of the Poor People’s Campaign and other clergy members.

For roughly an hour Barber spoke of the need to unite all of those who are impoverished. He told of the profits made by Hyundai and how that benefit has not been extended to workers. Barber offered statistics of how impoverished people are in Alabama.

“Two adults have to earn $22 an hour just to have a basic, living wage,” he said. “Working at a minimum wage, you have to work 90 plus hours a week. Forty percent of this workforce makes less than $15 an hour.”

Barber said in an interview after the meeting that unionization would help improve the economic lot of the state, and referenced Alabama’s refusal to enter into Medicaid expansion offered under the Affordable Care Act.

“This state has too much poverty for governors to be fighting against something that is going to raise wages and give people benefits,” he said in an interview after the meeting. “Especially since these same governors denied hundreds of thousands of people health care through the Affordable Care Act.”

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Alabama

How To Watch: Michigan vs Alabama in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

Published

7 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

How To Watch: Michigan vs Alabama in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

After taking care of business in the first two rounds, the Michigan Wolverines head to Chicago for a tough, but passable second weekend. An Elite Eight draw of either Iowa State (Kenpom No. 7) or Tennessee (No. 14) makes for an interesting matchup, but up first is the Alabama Crimson Tide, who sits 12th in Kenpom with the No. 3 offense but No. 60 defense.

The Tide rolls into the Sweet Sixteen after crushing Hofstra and a JT Toppin-less Texas Tech, but faces its own star-player absence with the ongoing Aden Holloway saga. Michigan is nearly a double-digit favorite, but like a turbocharged Saint Louis, the Alabama offense can be the stuff of nightmares. Every game from here on out is a battle, though, and all things considered, the bracket is set up just fine for the Wolverines.

Sweet Sixteen: No. 1 Michigan (33-3) vs. No. 4 Alabama (25-9)

Date & Time: Friday, March 27, 7:35 p.m. ET
Location: United Center, Chicago, IL
TV/Streaming: TBS

These programs have actually not met in basketball since a neutral site Alabama win back in 2009. Of course, there have been a couple notable football encounters over the past 28 months, which makes it five games on the gridiron this century. It is fitting that these squads now meet in the Sweet Sixteen, as they are arguably the top two schools over the past decade when it comes to combined football and basketball success.

Alabama 2PT Defense: 48.2% (44th)

On paper, it looks like the Bama defense might be able to hang with Michigan’s elite interior shooting, but I struggle to believe the raw numbers. The size mismatch in this game will be apparent right away, as Aiden Sherrell is the only real big in the lineup with Charles Bediako no longer eligible (lol). While the Tide gives up a decent number of threes and plenty of assists, jumpers are not the way to go in this one.

There is a very real chance that the Wolverines just hammer the paint and put up ridiculous efficiency numbers. Aday Mara looks like the x-factor here, and if Sherrell gets in any sort of foul trouble, it might just be too much for the defense to handle. This may turn into a track meet (more below), but this game sets up well for Michigan to score whenever it wants down low.

Alabama 3PT Rate: 53.9% (1st)

With this potential problem in the paint, Nate Oats knows his squad will need to put up big numbers of their own, and like Jalen Milroe rushing the ball himself, the plan is no secret. This is not necessarily the most accurate three-point shooting team in the nation, but the volume figures are substantial. For Alabama to pull off the upset, it must trade threes for twos, and that — unfortunately — is a viable strategy on Friday.

The Wolverines absolutely must close out on all shooters and again entice their opponent to opt for shots inside the arc. Future lottery pick Labaron Philon is the biggest threat, both with his willingness to drive and ability to pass (5.0 APG), but really everyone on the floor is going to be an issue from distance. There have been instances this year where teams just cannot miss from deep, and a repeat of that would be a major concern for Michigan.

Alabama DReb: 67.3% (287th)

The Wolverines’ size advantage should also play a role on the offensive glass, as Alabama has been terrible in defensive rebounding. Though Michigan has fluctuated in its prioritization of grabbing misses, this does feel like the right opportunity to make the most of the offensive possessions with plenty of second-chance points being readily available without a ton of resistance.

Not only does the Tide struggle to clean up the boards, but it also owns takeaway numbers in the bottom-10 of the entire country, while Michigan’s ball security has quietly been very strong to close out the year. This sets up perfectly for a massive offensive output. The pitfalls are the same as always: fluky bounces, careless passes, and an over-reliance on threes. If the Wolverines can stick to their game, the scoreboard is going to be lit up.

Alabama Adj. Tempo: 73 (4th)

Even more than Saint Louis, Alabama wants to run, and when it does, it wants to chuck up threes. This is going to be such a fascinating game to watch, since obviously Michigan will be more than happy to do that going the other way as well, and the Tide’s absolute commitment to getting down the court is what could lead to all of the aforementioned offensive rebounding opportunities.

With this pace, Bama does not grab a ton of offensive rebounds itself, nor does it get to the line often. It does, however, get blocked A TON, which should be fun for all of the Wolverine bigs. How close this game is really comes down to whether or not Alabama’s threes fall. The Tide will run and will hoist up a ton of attempts; make a hearty amount and an upset is possible, but have a tepid outing and this could be a blowout.

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Alabama

Longtime coaching friends Dusty May of Michigan and Nate Oats of Alabama to meet in Sweet 16

Published

19 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Longtime coaching friends Dusty May of Michigan and Nate Oats of Alabama to meet in Sweet 16

CHICAGO — Michigan coach Dusty May remembered when he was an assistant at Eastern Michigan watching 6 a.m. practices at Romulus High near Detroit.

At the time, Nate Oats was coaching boys’ basketball and teaching physical education at the school. The two forged a friendship that’s going strong 20 years later.

From a high school gym to the Sweet 16, May and Oats will be on opposing sides when top-seeded Michigan (33-3) meets fourth-seeded Alabama (25-9) in the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Region semifinals on Friday.

“To get to where he is now, I don’t think you ever think that,” May said. “You don’t ever anticipate them getting to this level where they’re (at the) top of the profession but you know they’re really, really good because so much has to happen.”

Oats has led Alabama to a 170-72 record and five trips to the Sweet 16 in seven seasons after a successful run at Buffalo. The Crimson Tide are in the regional semifinals for the fourth year in a row.

Oats has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the North Carolina job, though he insisted he has “absolutely no reason to leave” to leave Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide to the Final Four two years ago and got a new contract during that run. He’s now in talks with the school about another extension.

Oats played at Division III Maranatha Baptist University in his hometown of Watertown, Wisconsin, and began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater in the late 1990s.

Michigan head coach Dusty May looks on during the second half against Saint Louis in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. Credit: AP/Jeffrey T. Barnes

“On March 15, my salary went up $500,000,” Oats said. “I still can’t believe I’m getting paid this much. I’m coaching basketball. Guys, I did this thing free at Maranatha for three years. I got paid $500 out of the Warhawk fund at (Wisconsin-Whitewater) a year for the next two years. I made $4,700 a year for 11 years. … Glorified PE teacher making too much money right now. I’m not going to complain.”

May has done well for himself, too.

He coached Florida Atlantic for six years and led the school to a surprising Final Four appearance. Michigan has reached the Sweet 16 in each of his two seasons. And if the Wolverines beat Alabama, they’ll set the program record for wins in a season.

“He’s the same guy that I knew as an assistant at Eastern Michigan,” Oats said. “With all the success he’s had, his ego hasn’t gotten any bigger, and I think that speaks a lot to the character of the guy.”

That’s something that stood out to Oats when he was at Romulus. Some recruiters seemed to be using him simply to get to his players. But May wasn’t like that.

“Dusty was one of those guys that was genuine, real, smart, and worked hard. … We got to be very close because we were both young basketball junkies trying to learn every which way possible,” Oats said.

Through a friend of May’s who worked for the Chicago Bulls at the time, they got to spend five days at the Bulls’ training camp when Scott Skiles was the coach. They remained close after May left Eastern Michigan. He helped Oats get his first Division I job, as an assistant at Buffalo under Bobby Hurley in 2013.

At the time, May was on Mike White’s staff at Louisiana Tech. White’s brother Danny was the AD at Buffalo, and he put in a call when Hurley told him he was planning to hire Oats.

“Danny called Mike and Mike asked me, ‘Hey, this is your friend. Can you put your name on him?’” May said. “I said, ‘Absolutely. He’ll be as good or better than anyone he can hire as an assistant coach at Buffalo.’ It was the same deal when he moved him to the head coach. They’d done a great job recruiting, and that left a major mark on the success of coach Hurley’s teams.”

More recently, Oats has left his mark on Alabama. And May has done the same at Michigan.

“He texted me last night and asked what hotel we were staying at,” Oats said. “I thought we were staying next to him. I didn’t talk to him about our basketball game. I talked to him about other stuff.”

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Alabama

Gov. Ivey orders flags to half-staff honoring fallen Alabama airmen

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Gov. Ivey orders flags to half-staff honoring fallen Alabama airmen

Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday issued an updated directive calling for the lowering of all flags to half-staff across the state of Alabama on Monday, March 30, 2026, in honor of three Alabama Airmen who lost their lives in service to their country on March 12, 2026.

Below is Gov. Ivey’s flag-lowering directive.

“I authorize the lowering of flags at the Capitol Complex in Montgomery and statewide on Monday, March 30, 2026, in honor of U.S. military service members stationed in Alabama, who lost their lives on March 12, 2026, during an accident involving their KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft while operating in support of Operation Epic Fury. These fallen military personnel served in the 99th Air Refueling Squadron of the 117th Air Refueling Wing located at Sumpter Smith Joint Air National Guard Base in Birmingham.
“Major John A. “Alex” Klinner, 33, a resident of Trussville, Alabama and graduate of Auburn University, served as chief of squadron standardization and evaluations. An eight-year Air Force veteran, Maj. Klinner’s awards include the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Aerial Achievement Medal, and the Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. He is survived by his wife, Libby, and their three young children.
“Major Ariana G. Savino, 31, served as chief of current operations. A native of Washington state, Maj. Savino was a graduate of Central Washington University and Air Force ROTC, with over 300 combat hours. Her awards include the Air Medal and Air Space Commendation Medal.
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“Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, served as an assistant flight chief of operations. A native of Kentucky, Tech Sgt. Pruitt received two associate’s degrees from the Community College of the Air Force and had over 900 combat flight hours. She is survived by her husband, Gregory, a young daughter and stepson.
“To honor these brave Airmen who gave their lives in service to our country, I am directing all flags to be lowered from sunrise until sunset on Monday, March 30, 2026, the day of funeral services for Alabama native Major John A. Klinner.”

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