Public statements or official communications from the Governor's office

UAW Secures 73% Vote in Historic Union Win at VW Tennessee, Eyes Mercedes

Apr 22, 2024, 07:06 PM

The United Auto Workers (UAW) achieved a significant victory by unionizing the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, marking a historic win as it was the first Southern plant owned by a foreign company to unionize with 73% of the vote. UAW President Shawn Fain emphasized that this victory is just the beginning, with plans to continue their efforts across the South and West, targeting 13 non-union auto companies in a $40 million campaign. The next target is a Mercedes plant in Alabama, with a five-day union vote scheduled to start on May 13. The recent unionization has been met with mixed reactions, including criticism from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who expressed that the workers might have made a mistake.