Volkswagen’s sole U.S. plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee is a serious target for the UAW (United Auto Workers). It’s just announced that over 1,000 workers have signed union authorization cards. That makes up over 30% of the workforce there and could spell major changes to the plant. Some of the comments from employees there demonstrate how the union achieved this level of support.
It’s no secret that the UAW wants to expand its reach and coverage across the nation. After big wins against the Big Three earlier this year, it publicly stated that it was coming for companies like Volkswagen, Tesla, Honda, and Toyota. This announcement of a public campaign to unionize at the Chattanooga factory is the biggest move since those comments.
“People are standing up like never before,” said Steve Cochran, a team member and leader of the workers building the union at Volkswagen. “There are a lot of young workers in the plant now and this generation wants respect. They’re not okay with mistreatment by management. They see what’s happening at Starbucks and Amazon. They know that standing up to join the union is how you win fair treatment, fair pay and a better life.”
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Union workers from the big three automakers did see significant benefit increases following the recent strike. All three companies raised wages by more than 20%, adjusted pay based on the cost of living, and streamlined the advancement process. These agreements have also had an impact on other companies, such as Hyundai and Toyota , which have voluntarily offered substantial pay increases to their non-union employees.
VW offered an 11% pay raise to its employees back in November. Evidently, that wasn’t enough to keep many from signing up for the union. Their comments explain why.
“When I’m looking at a weld, I think about my grandkids in the backseat of that car,” said Vicky Holloway, a production team member in body shop quality. “I want to know we’re doing the job right. But the company isn’t putting people into jobs because they have the experience or the qualifications. They’re just handpicking whoever they want. We need the union so people with the right experience are put into the right positions. Safety has to come first.”
“I like working at VW, I’m proud to make these vehicles, but I’m not proud of the way we’re treated,” said Billy Quigg, a production team member in assembly. “The forced overtime on Saturdays, the lack of time off, it keeps us away from our families. That’s why we’re building the union. When people have a good job and time to spend with our families, we’ll help the whole community thrive.”
This isn’t the first time that a union effort has been made in this plant though. Two different votes, one in 2014 and another in 2019 both failed. Only time will tell if this one manages to succeed but it appears to be on the track toward victory.