In a pivotal test for organized labor's sway beyond Detroit's automakers, over 4,000 Volkswagen workers in Tennessee will vote this week on whether to join the United Auto Workers union, a high-stakes campaign that has drawn warnings of economic risks as well as hopes of empowering employees.
The three-day election, beginning Wednesday and overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, represents a critical juncture for the UAW after securing substantial contract victories with General Motors, Ford and Stellantis last year. A majority vote in favor would mark the union's first major foothold at a foreign-owned U.S. assembly plant following decades of failed attempts.
"This is by far the best chance for the UAW out of all its drives at Chattanooga," said Stephen Silvia, a labor scholar at American University and author of "The UAW's Southern Gamble." He cited the UAW's landmark Detroit contracts, shifting political landscape, and the grassroots worker-led campaign as factors boosting the union's prospects.
However, the vote has sparked concerns from prominent Republican lawmakers about potential economic fallout. Sen. Bill Hagerty warned the plant's competitiveness against China could suffer from "union dues and all the things that go with it."
"I hope that the workers of Tennessee take a very, very careful look at this and what it means for their liberty and freedoms at the end of the day," Hagerty told HuffPost, underscoring fears about diminished business autonomy under collective bargaining.
Hagerty's stark rhetoric highlights the high stakes as the UAW aims to expand its membership and negotiating clout beyond America's "Big Three" automakers in the wake of President Shawn Fain's ascent as a reform leader.
Fain, elected in 2023 following a corruption scandal, has boldly vowed to transform the UAW into the "Big Five or Big Six" by adding foreign brands when the Detroit contracts expire in 2028. Volkswagen is among 13 non-union U.S. automakers targeted in an audacious organizing blitz covering nearly 150,000 workers.
For the UAW, a Chattanooga victory could catalyze momentum and deal a psychological blow to companies resisting unionization across the anti-labor U.S. South. Defeat, however, would represent another setback after unsuccessful drives at the same plant in 2014 and 2019 undermined by political pressure and staunch company opposition.
Underscoring the paradigm shift, Volkswagen adopted a neutral stance this time, stating: "We respect our workers' right to a democratic process and to determine who should represent their interests." While some employees launched a "Still No UAW" campaign, there appear to be fewer organized anti-union efforts compared to previous votes.
"Right now, we just need a voice in the plant. Right now, we're subject to the whims of the company," said Isaac Meadows, an assembly worker of 14 months earning $27 per hour. He hopes a UAW contract can enhance compensation, currently ranging from $23.40 to $32.40 for production staff - considerably below the over $42 top pay rate expected by 2028 under the Detroit deals.
As voting begins, all eyes are on Chattanooga and whether the region's traditionally anti-union sentiments can be overcome. The outcome will significantly shape the UAW's future trajectory and organizing ambitions amid President Fain's vows to flex newfound muscle following the pivotal Detroit negotiations.
