UAW Gains Traction In Volkswagen Tennessee Plant As A Thousand Employees Sign Union Authorization Cards

In a recent development, over 1,000 workers at the Volkswagen VWAGY factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have signed union authorization cards, as announced by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union.

What Happened: On Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, as per a Reuters report, the UAW announced that more than 1,000 employees at the Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have signed union authorization cards. This development is a part of the UAW’s ongoing public drive to unionize the entire nonunion auto sector in the U.S, following their record contracts with the Detroit Three automakers.

As per UAW’s strategy, when 30% of workers at a nonunion plant sign cards seeking to join, it is made public. This threshold has been reached at the Volkswagen plant, which employs around 3,800 workers. The company has stated it respects “the right of our workers to determine who should represent their interests in the workplace.”

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If 50% of workers seek to join, the union would hold a rally with UAW President Shawn Fain to promote the effort. If support reaches 70% and an organizing committee is established, the UAW would demand a union representation vote or seek recognition.

The UAW added that workers at 13 nonunion automakers, including Tesla TSLA,  Toyota TM,  Volkswagen, Hyundai HYMTF, Rivian RIVN, Nissan NSANY, BMW BMWYY and Mercedes-Benz MBGAF, are launching simultaneous campaigns to join the union. These automakers employ almost 150,000 workers at their U.S. assembly plants.

Why It Matters: In November, the UAW initiated an ambitious campaign to unionize workers at 13 non-union automakers across the United States, including Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswagen. This latest development at the Volkswagen Chattanooga plant is a significant step forward in this initiative. The campaign involves workers signing electronic support cards for union efforts, a move that could set the stage for the unionization of U.S. factories belonging to these automotive manufacturers.

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