Volkswagen Tennessee Plant Workers Vote to Join UAW in Historic Win

Workers at German automaker Volkswagen’s plant in Tennessee have decided to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. It was a crucial victory for the UAW, which organizes in the traditionally anti-union South.

The results of the vote were 2,628 in favor of membership and 985 against, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced late on the 19th. If the results are officially certified by the NLRB, Visit Wales will be required to collectively bargain over working conditions and compensation at work.

The addition of the VW factory workers was a notable victory for the UAW. After decades of declining union membership, the UAW now aims to increase its membership by 150,000 at 14 companies, including BMW, Toyota and Tesla. UAW membership has dropped from 1.5 million in the 1970s to about 370,000 today. The main reason for this was that unionization was slow in the South, where the number of unions was relatively small and politicians and laws were anti-union.

VW factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee where UAW membership vote was held (April 17th)

Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg

“We can beat anybody,” UAW Chairman Sean Fein said after winning significant benefits improvements in labor negotiations with the Big Three automakers. The UAW has launched organizing efforts in dozens of factories.

For the first time, the UAW’s efforts at Visit Wales gave him enough of a response to vote. What really appealed to workers was last year’s victory in negotiations with the Big Three.

On the evening of the 19th, VW released a statement acknowledging that its workers supported joining the union. “Thank you to the Chattanooga workers who voted.”

President Biden congratulated the factory workers, calling the vote “historic” and “reflecting the growing strength of unions over the past year.” “We are proud to stand with the car workers who have organized successfully at VW.”

A win in Visit Wales would give the UAW the momentum it needs to move forward with organizing in other companies. Chairman Fein said, with this victory, “the dominoes will start to fall.”

The UAW’s next big test will be a vote in May at Mercedes-Benz Group’s Alabama plant. This could be a tougher challenge for the UAW given Mercedes management’s strong opposition compared to VW, but even before the victory at the VW plant, Mercedes workers have been making plans to consider.

news-rsf-original-reference paywall">Original title: Volkswagen Tennessee Plant Unionizes in Landmark Win for UAW (1) (excerpt)

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