The union has come close to representing workers at the VW plant in two previous elections. Some prominent Tennessee Republican politicians had urged workers to vote against the union during both campaigns. The year after the 2014 vote failed, 160 Chattanooga maintenance workers won a vote to form a smaller union, but Volkswagen refused to bargain. In November, VW gave workers an 11% pay raise at the plant, but the union says VW's pay still lags behind Detroit automakers. Top assembly plant workers in Chattanooga make $32.40 per hour, VW said.

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Persons: —, we'll, Yolanda Peoples Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Workers, National Labor Relations Board, UAW, Detroit automakers, Tesla, Nissan, Mercedes, Benz, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Honda, VW, NLRB, Volkswagen, Tennessee Republican, General Motors, Ford, Detroit Locations: Chattanooga , Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Mercedes, Vance , Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama