In Chattanooga, Tennessee, early votes show most workers at Volkswagen’s plant want to join the United Auto Workers union. If they win, it’ll be the first time a Southern auto plant unionizes through voting since the 1940s and the first foreign-owned one in the South.
This would boost UAW President Shawn Fain’s drive to unionize plants owned by over a dozen automakers, including Tesla. Fain plans to spend $40 million by 2026 on this effort.
Federal officials from the National Labor Relations Board are counting votes. The UAW, with reps there, says 1300-399 votes for the union. About 4,300 workers can vote. VW workers in “Future UAW Member” shirts cheered at the tally.
The final results are expected around 11 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT on Saturday). Isaac Meadows, an employee at the VW plant, remarked, “All the others are observing.” He voted in support of the union. “This vote is poised to reshape the employment terrain nationwide.”
The UAW experienced close defeats in voting at the identical facility in both 2014 and 2019. The current ballot comes amidst a wave of growing public favor towards unions and after the accomplishment of fruitful contract talks last year with the leading automakers.
The UAW starts voting when 70% of eligible workers support unionizing. If successful, it could encourage more unions at other factories. But some southern states, like Tennessee, are against unions. Governors in six southern states, including Tennessee, recently spoke against the union drive.
Unionization Efforts At Volkswagen Plant
“Workers at VW in Chattanooga are deciding whether to join the union. This is a big deal, says Harley Shaiken, a professor at UC Berkeley. They’ve been having meetings to talk about it. Some worry it might affect their job security.
The plant has been quiet during the voting. Workers wore different colored shirts to show their support or opposition. But they had to take them off before entering. Both sides are feeling excited and nervous.
The union says VW can afford to pay workers more. They’ve made a lot of profit. The United Auto Workers has represented VW workers before, but not here. VW says they’re neutral on the vote. The UAW hasn’t had much luck in southern plants before. But things might be changing.
President Biden supported union workers in Detroit last year. That led to raises for many. Now, a Mercedes plant in Alabama might vote on unionizing next.”
The Birth of UAW
In 1935, a group led by John L. Lewis made UAW. They worked to help workers. United Auto Workers won a big win against General Motors. It happened in Flint, Michigan. Workers sat down in protest. This was in winter, 1936-1937.
What is the Purpose of the UAW
The UAW is a union in America and Canada. It helps workers and represents them. It’s called the United Auto Workers. It’s for people who work in auto, aerospace, and agriculture and support them.
UAW Leadership: Shawn Fain Leads the Way
Shawn Fain is the boss at United Auto Workers. He says workers knew they were treated unfairly for a long time. Now, workers are fighting back. Big companies like Amazon and UPS are facing the heat. Even Starbucks and Hollywood are feeling the pressure.
Labor groups are getting stronger again in the US. This is after many years of them getting weaker.
Is Tesla a Union?
Tesla isn’t in a union like other big car makers in the US. Attempts to join unions failed from 2016 to 2023. The United Auto Workers, United Steelworkers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Workers United all tried but didn’t succeed.
Joining UAW
Interested in joining UAW? Contact Organizing Department or call 1-800-2GET-UAW (1-800-243-8829). A UAW organizer will help you. They’ll answer questions and guide you through organizing a union at your workplace.
Auto Workers in the US
In 2022, about 4,364,800 people worked in the auto industry in the US. This represents approximately 1.3% of the total US population and 1.7% of the American labor force.
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