It's a historic win for the United Auto Workers (UAW). Workers at Volkswagen's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, recently voted overwhelming to unionize.
Voting took place over a three-day election last week. Both sides then had five days to raise objections once results were announced Friday, April 19th, and we've seen no reports of any being made or of official vote certification by the National Labor Relations Board as of this publishing date.
The UAW calls the vote a historic victory, as Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga are the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win their union. You can see the results of the election at uaw.org/vwvote.
“This election is big,” said Kelcey Smith, a worker in the paint department at Volkswagen. “People in high places told us good things can’t happen here in Chattanooga. They told us this isn’t the time to stand up, this isn’t the place. But we did stand up and we won. This is the time; this is the place. Southern workers are ready to stand up and win a better life.”
“We saw the big contract that UAW workers won at the Big Three and that got everybody talking,” said Zachary Costello, a trainer in VW’s proficiency room. “You see the pay, the benefits, the rights UAW members have on the job, and you see how that would change your life. That’s why we voted overwhelmingly for the union. Once people see the difference a union makes, there’s no way to stop them.”
“This is a movement for every blue-collar worker in America,” said Doug Snyder, a body worker at Volkswagen. “Our vote shows that workers everywhere want a better life on and off the job. Fair pay is important, but so is time with our families. So is a voice for safety in our plant. We’re looking forward to getting to the bargaining table with the company and winning a contract that makes things right at Volkswagen.”
Friday, April 19th, VW released a statement thanking workers for voting in the election. In December, VW shared another statement saying:
"Volkswagen is proud of the world-class production environment we have created in Chattanooga. Our attractive compensation program—including a recent pay increase of 11%—and our comprehensive benefits and development opportunities reflect our constant commitment to our team members.
We believe in frequent, transparent, and two-way dialogue with our people to help them stay informed and connected and help shape our world-class assembly environment. We also respect the right of our workers to determine who should represent their interests in the workplace."
5,000 workers at Mercedes-Benz in Vance, Ala., vote next month on whether to join the UAW.
The UAW says in the wake of its historic Stand Up Strike victory at the Big Three auto companies, over 10,000 non-union autoworkers have signed union cards in recent months, with public campaigns launched at Mercedes, Volkswagen, Hyundai in Montgomery, Ala., and Toyota in Troy, Mo. The UAW also says workers at over two dozen other facilities are also actively organizing.
Pic: https://vwvote.uaw.org/vw-workers.jpg
Photo Credit: UAW