Volkswagen workers to vote on union representation in April

Volkswagen workers at the Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant will hold a union election from April 17 to 19, the United Auto Workers union announced Monday.

The union looks to expand in the South, and the landmark vote marks the UAW’s first major victory since last year’s strike at the VW facility led to new contracts for the “Big Three” workers. There is a possibility that

Workers filed for election with the National Labor Relations Board last week. The UAW had previously announced it would seek an election once 70% of the plant’s 4,000 workers signed union cards.

“We are voting yes to win a better life for ourselves and our families,” VW worker Isaac Meadows said in a statement. statement. “We need a say in our schedule, benefits, pay, and more. We’re proud to work for Volkswagen, but we also know the importance of having a voice in the workplace.”

Workers at the same Chattanooga plant, VW’s only U.S. facility, unsuccessfully ran for UAW elections in 2014 and 2019.

The UAW says more than 10,000 non-union members have signed union cards at factories across the country in recent months as part of its expansion plan. The union has already launched public campaigns at a Mercedes-Benz plant near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a Hyundai plant in Montgomery, Alabama, and a Toyota facility in Troy, Missouri.

Workers at more than 20 other facilities are also actively organizing, the union added.

Volkswagen said in a statement to The Hill last week that it respects the legal election process.

“We respect our employees’ right to undergo a democratic process and decide who should represent their interests,” the company said in a statement. “We fully support the NLRB’s vote and give all team members the opportunity to vote in privacy on this important decision.”