Volkswagen employees in Tennessee who are hoping to join the United Automobile Workers asked a federal agency on Monday to hold an election, a key step toward the union’s longtime goal of organizing nonunion factories across the South.
With the union’s backing, Volkswagen workers filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board asking for a vote on U.A.W.
representation, saying that more than 70 percent of the 4,000 eligible workers at the plant had signed cards supporting the union.
“Today, we are one step closer to making a good job at Volkswagen into a great career,” Isaac Meadows, an assembly worker at the plant, said in a statement.
If held, an election would be the first test of the U.A.W.’s newfound strength after staging a wave of strikes in the fall against the three Detroit automakers — General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis — and winning record wage increases.
Persons:
” Isaac Meadows, ’, —
Organizations:
United Automobile Workers, Volkswagen, National Labor Relations Board, “, Detroit, —, Motors, Ford Motor
Locations:
Tennessee