Kelcey Smith shows UAW buttons in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 10, 2024.
Kevin Wurm | The Washington Publish | Getty Photographs
Volkswagen staff in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have overwhelmingly voted to affix the United Auto Employees — marking a serious milestone for the union and its first profitable organizing drive of an automaker outdoors of Detroit’s Large Three.
Union organizing handed with 73% of the vote, or 2,628 staff, in help for the UAW, in response to the Nationwide Labor Relations Board, which oversaw the election. A complete of roughly 3,620, or about 84%, of the 4,326 eligible VW staff voted within the election, the NLRB mentioned. Seven ballots had been challenged and three others had been voided.
“In a historic victory, an awesome majority of Volkswagen staff in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted to affix the UAW,” the union mentioned in a launch Friday evening earlier than official outcomes had been launched by the NLRB. “Whereas votes proceed to be tallied, the end result is obvious: Volkswagen staff in Chattanooga are the primary Southern autoworkers outdoors of the Large Three to win their union.”
The NLRB nonetheless should certify the outcome, however barring any surprising points or challenges, the corporate is required to cut price in good religion with the union. The talks will be direct or go first by a mediator.
The perimeters have 5 enterprise days to file objections to the election, in response to the NLRB. If no objections are filed, the outcome will likely be licensed.
VW confirmed the UAW’s win in a launch Friday evening however supplied little further remark.
“We are going to await certification of the outcomes by the NLRB,” the corporate mentioned. “Volkswagen thanks its Chattanooga staff for voting on this election.”
UAW leaders and supporters are anticipated to make use of the win as a launching level for the union’s unprecedented organizing marketing campaign of 13 automakers within the U.S. following main contract wins final yr with Normal Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler father or mother Stellantis.
President Joe Biden, who has closely supported organized labor and the UAW, congratulated the union on its “historic vote.”
“Throughout the nation, union members have logged main wins and enormous raises, together with auto staff, actors, port staff, Teamsters, writers, warehouse and well being care staff, and extra. Collectively, these union wins have helped elevate wages and show as soon as once more that the middle-class constructed America and that unions are nonetheless constructing and increasing the center class for all staff,” Biden mentioned in an announcement.
On this aerial view, a Volkswagen car meeting plant is seen on March 20, 2024 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Elijah Nouvelage | Getty Photographs
UAW President Shawn Fain and others noticed this week’s vote because the union’s greatest shot at organizing the VW plant following the strikes and document contracts on the Detroit automakers. These agreements included important wage improve, reinstatement of cost-of-living changes and different advantages.
The profitable organizing drive comes days after six Republican governors of Southern states, together with Tennessee Gov. Invoice Lee, launched a joint assertion condemning the UAW’s push to prepare of their states.
“We now have labored tirelessly on behalf of our constituents to convey good-paying jobs to our states. These jobs have turn into a part of the material of the automotive manufacturing trade. Unionization will surely put our states’ jobs in jeopardy — in truth, on this yr already, the entire UAW automakers have introduced layoffs,” the assertion mentioned.
The UAW beforehand failed to prepare the Volkswagen plant in 2014 and 2019 because it confronted better outdoors political strain and employee opposition. Employees rejected union membership by simply 833 to 776 votes 5 years in the past.
UAW President Shawn Fain greets members attending a rally in help of the labor union strike on the UAW Native 551 corridor on the South Facet on October 7, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.
Jim Vondruska | Getty Photographs
The union will now set its sights on negotiating with VW. It’ll additionally look to an anticipated organizing vote of Mercedes-Benz staff at an SUV plant in Vance, Alabama.
Employees on the facility earlier this month filed NLRB paperwork for a proper election to affix the UAW. The vote for five,200 staff will happen from Might 13 by Might 17, the NLRB introduced Thursday.
“The very first thing that you must do to win is to consider which you could win,” Fain informed Mercedes-Benz staff final month. “That this job will be higher. That your life will be higher. And that these issues are value combating for. That’s the reason we get up. That is why you are right here as we speak. As a result of deep down, you consider it is doable.”
Fain beforehand vowed to maneuver past the Large Three and develop to the “Large 5 or Large Six” by the point its four-and-a-half-year contracts with the Detroit automakers expire in 2028.
