Date set for Chattanooga Volkswagen union election
UPDATE:
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Volkswagen and the United Auto Workers Union has chosen a date for their union election at the Chattanooga plant.
The election will take place from Wednesday, April 17 until Friday, April 19, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) said. The vote will take place at the Chattanooga factory.
According to the NLRB, all full-time and regular part-time production and maintenance employees will be eligible to vote. Employees must have been employed during the payroll period ending on March 17.
SEE PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
Volkswagen has given an official statement on the possibility of the Chattanooga plant joining the United Auto Workers (UAW) union.
Read the statement here:
“This morning, we received notice that the UAW has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to hold an election to determine representation of Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant. We respect our workers’ right to a democratic process and to determine who should represent their interests. We will fully support an NLRB vote, so every team member has a chance to vote in privacy in this important decision. The election timeline will be determined by the NLRB. Volkswagen is proud of our working environment in Chattanooga that provides some of the best paying jobs in the area.”
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The United Auto Workers (UAW) said that Volkswagen Chattanooga employees filed a petition on Monday to join the union.
It would be the third vote to unionize the Chattanooga plant. The previous two failed.
The union says a supermajority of the workers have signed union cards in just 100 days.
VW Chattanooga becomes the first plant to request a vote since the UAW began their drive to unionize 12 auto plants, nationwide.
The UAW provided statements from local workers:
“Today, we are one step closer to making a good job at Volkswagen into a great career,” said Isaac Meadows, a production team member in assembly. “Right now, we miss time with our families because so much of our paid-time-off is burned up during the summer and winter shutdowns. We shouldn’t have to choose between our family and our job. By winning our union and a real voice at Volkswagen, we can negotiate for more time with our families.”
“We are voting yes for our union because we want Volkswagen to be successful,” said Victor Vaughn, a logistics team member at VW. “Volkswagen has spent billions of dollars expanding in Chattanooga, but right now safety is a major issue in our plant. Just the other day, I was almost hit by four 500-plus pound crates while I was driving to deliver parts. That incident should’ve been followed up within the hour, but even after I clocked out no one asked me about it. VW has partnered with unionized workforces around the world to make their plants safe and successful. That’s why we’re voting for a voice at Volkswagen here in Chattanooga.”
“I come from a UAW family, so I’ve seen how having our union enables us to make life better on the job and off,” said Yolanda Peoples, a production team member in assembly. “We are a positive force in the plant. When we win our union, we’ll be able to bargain for a safer workplace, so people can stay on the job and the company can benefit from our experience. When my father retired as a UAW member, he had something to fall back on. VW workers deserve the same.”
