Kelcey Smith proudly displays UAW buttons in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 10, 2024. The United Auto Workers announced on Friday that Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga, Tennessee, had overwhelming voted to join the union. This marked a significant achievement for the labor organization, being its first successful organizing drive of an automaker outside of Detroit’s Big Three.
The UAW reported that 73% of the vote, or 2,628 workers out of the more than 4,300 eligible VW workers, supported union organizing. The NLRB still needs to certify the result, but if all goes well, the company will be required to bargain in good faith with the union, either directly or through a mediator.
VW confirmed the UAW’s win but had little to say about it. UAW leaders are expected to use this victory to propel their unprecedented organizing campaign of 13 automakers in the U.S., following their success with General Motors, Ford Motor, and Chrysler parent Stellantis last year.
This achievement came after failed attempts in 2014 and 2019, facing greater political pressure and worker opposition. UAW President Shawn Fain and others see this vote as their best chance to organize the VW plant, following the successful strikes and contracts at the Detroit automakers.
The UAW now looks ahead to negotiating with VW and is anticipating an organizing vote of Mercedes-Benz workers at an SUV plant in Vance, Alabama. Fain has vowed to expand the union beyond the Big Three to the “Big Five or Big Six” by 2028.
In conclusion, the UAW’s historic win with Volkswagen marks a significant milestone in its organizing efforts and sets the stage for further expansion and negotiation.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) achieved a significant victory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Volkswagen employees voted to join the union with 73% of the vote. Over 84% of eligible workers participated in the election, with 3,620 votes cast. The result marks the UAW’s first successful organizing drive of an automaker outside of Detroit’s Big Three. While the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) still needs to certify the result, Volkswagen is required to negotiate with the union in good faith once that is done. The union is expected to use this win as momentum for its campaign to organize 13 automakers in the US. This success comes after previous failed attempts to organize the Volkswagen plant in 2014 and 2019 due to political pressure and worker opposition. The UAW also has its eyes set on organizing Mercedes-Benz workers at a plant in Alabama and expanding to more automakers beyond the Big Three in the future.
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