April 18 (Reuters) - Workers at a Mercedes Benz

factory in Vance, Alabama will vote between May 13 and

May 17 on whether to join the United Auto Workers union, the

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said on Thursday.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Winning a vote to organize workers at Mercedes' Tuscaloosa plant

will be a big victory for the UAW as it makes renewed attempts

to bring factory employees of foreign-owned automakers in the

U.S. into its fold.

The elections follow months of organizing efforts at several

non-union automakers owned by foreign companies such as Hyundai

Motor ( HYMTF ) and Toyota Motor ( TM ).

CONTEXT

Earlier this month, workers at the Mercedes plant filed an

election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

to hold an election to join the UAW.

The UAW's record contracts with the Detroit Three Automakers

- General Motors ( GM ), Ford Motor ( F ) and Chrysler parent

Stellantis ( STLA ) - have increased calls to organize

non-union automakers.

This week, workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga,

Tennessee plant will be voting on their decision to join the

union. The UAW organizers have twice lost a vote at that plant,

narrowly missing a majority in 2014 and 2019.

BY THE NUMBERS

The UAW said earlier this month that 5,200 eligible Mercedes

workers at the plant and a nearby plant in Woodstock, Alabama

signed cards to join the union.

The NLRB will conduct the ballot count beginning around

10:45 am ET on May 17, with results expected on the same day.