UAW hits milestone as opposition arises to VW union effort

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The United Auto Workers (UAW) says they have reached a milestone at the Volkswagen (VW) Plant. 

However, they will be facing some opposition. 

Zachary Costello has been a leader among Volkswagen employees in their fight to unionize at the Chattanooga Plant. 

He says despite opposition coming in the form of billboards on Interstate 75, he believes support will continue to grow within the VW plant.  

Workers and activists demonstrating in front of the main Volkswagen entrance over allegations of union busting.

Costello said, “As soon as people started spreading the word, we hit over 50% cards and now are the majority, now we’re seeing an influx from people who didn’t know it was going on.” 

The UAW announced they reached over 50% card sign-ups inside the Volkswagen Plant, which they say is a big step in the UAW’s goal of unionizing Volkswagen. 

This is their third attempt after two failed votes in 2014 and 2019. 

At the launch rally they held in December, union leaders including UAW President Shawn Fain alleged that union busting tactics were ongoing inside of the plant. 

This claim was denied by a Volkswagen spokesperson. 

Costello says while he’s not seeing outright union busting ongoing at this time, he says there are some unusual things ongoing inside the facility. 

He said, “It really feels like this environment where every now and then some leader whether it be a lower-level leader or higher-level leader like a supervisor will try to plug that leak and say, “Hey, don’t say this again.”” 

There is also now a campaign forming against the UAW. 

The Center for Union Facts, an anti-union activist group based in Washington, says they have placed a billboard on I-75 in Ooltewah. 

They are arguing that the union’s stances on controversial subjects such as the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict and what they see as a conflicting agenda pushed by UAW president Shawn Fain as concerns, they have with the organization. 

A spokesperson for the Center for Union Facts, Terry Bowman: These are jobs that we want to pass down to our kids, our grandkids. The jobs that have been passed down to us by our parents and grandparents. You can’t take everything you can get and still continue and still grow automobile manufacturing in the United States. 

Costello says that this opposition is expected and will not deter the union’s efforts. 

He said, “If we want our kids to have good jobs and to have their wellbeing protected, then it would be in our best interest to make sure workers have protections.” 

Costello told us he believes a vote could be put into motion by summer at the latest, depending on when an election petition is signed.