Volkswagen workers vote for UAW representation

UPDATE: President Joe Biden has issued the following statement on Volkswagen workers’ vote to unionize the Volkswagen plant.

The statement reads:

“Congratulations to the workers at Volkswagen in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on their historic vote for union representation with the United Auto Workers. I was proud to stand alongside auto workers in their successful fight for record contracts, and I am proud to stand with auto workers now as they successfully organize at Volkswagen. Across the country, union members have logged major wins and large raises, including auto workers, actors, port workers, Teamsters, writers, warehouse and health care workers, and more. Together, these union wins have helped raise wages and demonstrate once again that the middle-class built America and that unions are still building and expanding the middle class for all workers.

Six Republican governors wrote a letter attempting to influence workers’ votes by falsely claiming that a successful vote would jeopardize jobs in their states. Let me be clear to the Republican governors that tried to undermine this vote: there is nothing to fear from American workers using their voice and their legal right to form a union if they so choose. In fact, the growing strength of unions over the last year has gone hand-in-hand with record small business and jobs growth alongside the longest stretch of low unemployment in more than 50 years. I will continue to stand with American workers and stand against Republican’s effort to weaken workers’ voice.”

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- In a historic vote, workers at the Volkswagen plant have voted to be represented by the United Auto Workers.

According to results tabulated by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the vote was a landslide as 2,628 workers voted for the union and 985 voted against.

This is a margin of 72.7% for and 27.3% against in a turnout of roughly 83.5% of eligible workers, 4,326 according to the NLRB.

The NLRB says due to this result, Volkswagen must now begin bargaining in “good faith” in the UAW.

The UAW in a statement that, “Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga are the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win their union.”

They add that they look forward to getting to the bargaining table.

We are awaiting a statement from Volkswagen on the result of this election.