National Labor Relations Board Certifies VW Chattanooga UAW

The National Labor Relations Board has certified the results of the election in which Volkswagen Chattanooga employees voted for representation by the United Auto Workers. The battle with VW management – a later day version of the Ford Rouge battle of the bridge, included disgraceful interference by VW management instead of the neutrality stipulated under US labor laws. The Chattanooga plant has now become the symbol and rallying point of the tough fight for workers’ rights, bringing national or global attention to the struggles and potential of unionizing in the low-wage South.*

“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. 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.

“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,” the UAW and Volkswagen said today in a joint statement.

AutoInformed on

• Southern Labor Rights Boosted at VW. Daimler Next
• VW Chattanooga UAW Vote Set for April 17-19

* More than 10,000 non-union autoworkers have signed union cards in recent months, with public campaigns successful at VW and Mercedes in Vance, Ala., Pending are Hyundai in Montgomery, Ala., and Toyota in Troy, Mo. Workers at more than two dozen other facilities are also actively organizing, the UAW says. The UAW has ~ 400,000 active members and more than 580,000 retired members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.