Unionization vote at Tennessee VW plant certified

The unionization vote at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee has been certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), according to a Tuesday announcement from the manufacturer and the United Auto Workers (UAW).

Workers at the Chattanooga plant voted two weeks ago, with 73 percent, or 2,628 staffers, in favor of unionization, and 27 percent against, representing 985 employees.

“Volkswagen and union workers around the world have a long history of successfully building vehicles together, and we are jointly committed to a strong and successful future at Volkswagen Chattanooga with the UAW,” the automaker and UAW said in a joint statement on Tuesday. 

“We share many common goals: providing a positive working environment where employees are well compensated for their hard work building quality vehicles and share in the company’s success.” 

Previously, workers at the Chattanooga plant twice rejected joining the union, most recently in 2019. But this month, they became the latest in a growing number of facilities to join UAW under its leader, Shawn Fain. 

In the joint statement, Volkswagen and UAW said they are now “focused” on getting to a “fair” agreement. 

“Both sides are now focused on collective bargaining and entering negotiations in the spirit of working together to reach a fair agreement and build world-class automobiles together,” they said in the statement. 

Workers at a Mercedes factory in Alabama will be voting next month on whether they want to join UAW. 

The successful vote in Tennessee came as the six governors of Southern states warned workers against joining UAW, arguing it would hinder their job security and the “values we live by.”

Fain’s union led a walkout last year on the former “Big Three” automakers and was ultimately able to reach an agreement with all three - General Motors, Ford and Stellantis - in October following a six-week strike.