VW Workers Apply for Union Election to Join UAW

TL/DR -

Workers at the Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee have filed a petition for a vote to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. The move came after a supermajority of the factory's workers signed union cards in 100 days. If the petition is successful, the factory will become the first non-union auto plant to file for a union election among dozens where workers are currently organizing.

Chattanooga Volkswagen Workers Seek to Join the UAW

Workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, TN have taken the first formal step towards unionization, submitting a petition to the National Labor Relations Board following a supermajority signing union cards in a 100-day span. This grassroots effort is a significant development in the auto industry, marking the first non-union auto plant to seek union election amidst widespread worker organization in recent months.

Volkswagen workers share their reasons for voting in favor of the UAW in a new video. They point out the potential benefits of union representation, including improved working conditions, better safety, and increased time with their families.

“Unionizing would transform a good job at Volkswagen into a great career,” voiced Isaac Meadows, a production team member. He lamented the lack of family time due to the consumption of paid-time-off during shutdowns. By winning their union, Volkswagen workers aim to negotiate for more family-friendly policies.

Victor Vaughn, a logistics team member, voiced his support of the union as a means to improve workplace safety. He stressed that despite the company's substantial investment in the Chattanooga plant, safety remains a significant concern. Vaughn cited his near-miss incident with heavy crates as an example of lax safety practices that a union could help address.

Yolanda Peoples, another production team member, pointed out the financial security a union could provide. Drawing from her family's positive experience with the UAW, she expressed a desire for Volkswagen workers to receive the same benefits.

The Chattanooga Volkswagen plant, which currently employs over 4,000 autoworkers, is the company's only U.S. assembly plant without any form of employee representation. It is also Volkswagen’s only global facility without employee representation, underlining the significance of this unionization effort.

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