Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted overwhelmingly to join the United Auto Workers union, marking the union’s first successful organizing drive of an automaker outside of Detroit’s Big Three. The union won with 73% of the vote, or 2,628 workers in support of the UAW, out of 3,620 eligible voters. The National Labor Relations Board oversaw the election and still needs to certify the result, after which the company will be required to bargain in good faith with the union. There is a five-day window for filing objections to the election, after which the result will be certified.
The win for the UAW in Chattanooga is expected to be a launching point for the union’s broader organizing campaign of 13 automakers in the U.S. This comes after major contract wins with General Motors, Ford Motor, and Chrysler parent Stellantis last year. President Joe Biden congratulated the union on its historic vote and emphasized the role of unions in raising wages and building the middle class. The UAW sees the VW vote as a significant milestone following strikes and record contracts at the Big Three automakers, which included significant wage increases and other benefits.
The successful organizing drive at Volkswagen follows a joint statement from six Republican governors of Southern states, including Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, condemning the UAW’s organizing efforts in their states. The UAW previously failed to organize the Volkswagen plant in 2014 and 2019 due to political pressure and worker opposition. Now, the union will focus on negotiating with VW and prepare for an upcoming organizing vote at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama. The vote for 5,200 workers at the SUV plant is set to take place from May 13 to May 17.
UAW President Shawn Fain has expressed confidence in the union’s ability to expand beyond the Big Three to include more automakers by the time the current contracts with Detroit automakers expire in 2028. The union’s victory at Volkswagen in Tennessee demonstrates the strength of organized labor and the potential for growth in the auto industry. The upcoming vote at the Mercedes-Benz plant will be another opportunity for the UAW to grow its membership and secure better working conditions for workers in the automotive sector.
