Governor Bill Lee and five other southern governors are warning workers at Volkswagen’s Tennessee factory that voting in favor of a union could potentially jeopardize their jobs.
Approximately 4,300 employees at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant will commence voting on Wednesday to decide whether they will be represented by the United Auto Workers union. The National Labor Relations Board is anticipated to tally the vote totals on Friday evening.
The UAW’s first test in organizing nonunion auto factories nationwide comes with the union election. This follows their successful strike last fall against Detroit automakers Ford, General Motors, and Jeep maker Stellantis, where they secured significant raises.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the governors emphasized their efforts in attracting high-paying employment opportunities to their respective states.
The statement emphasized the negative consequences of the Detroit Three strike, highlighting the automakers’ reconsideration of investments and job cuts. It expressed concern about the potential impact on businesses in the states and emphasized the desire to avoid such a situation.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott have all signed on to the statement, according to Lee. The offices of Abbott, Ivey, Kemp, and Reeves have confirmed their involvement, and McMaster has even posted the statement on his website.
The governors expressed their desire to foster the expansion of manufacturing within their respective states. However, they emphasized that a successful union drive would impede this growth, ultimately harming American workers.
The UAW has chosen not to provide any comment on the matter.
UAW President Shawn Fain has announced plans to expand the union’s reach beyond Detroit automakers. Last year, the UAW launched a series of strikes against these automakers, and now they are targeting more than a dozen nonunion auto plants. This includes plants operated by Tesla, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Honda, and other major automakers.
Nearly 150,000 workers at factories primarily in the South have been targeted by the drive, as the union has struggled to attract new members in this region.
Earlier this month, a group of workers at a Mercedes-Benz plant located near Tuscaloosa, Alabama, took the initiative to submit official paperwork to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Their intention was to hold a vote regarding the potential representation of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union.
The UAW has secured agreements with Detroit automakers that will result in pay raises of 25% by the expiration of the contracts in April 2028. In addition to these raises, workers will also receive cost-of-living adjustments, resulting in a total increase of approximately 33% for a top assembly wage of $42 per hour. This amounts to over $87,000 per year, along with additional earnings from annual profit sharing.
Volkswagen announced on Tuesday that its employees have the potential to earn more than $60,000 per year, excluding an additional 8% attendance bonus. The company proudly asserts that its compensation exceeds the median household income in the local area.
Volkswagen acknowledges and respects the workers’ right to engage in a democratic process and decide on their representatives. The company emphasizes its full support for a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) vote, ensuring that every team member has the opportunity to cast their vote privately and participate in this crucial decision.
Workers at the VW plant, responsible for manufacturing Atlas SUVs and ID.4 electric vehicles, express their desire for a greater involvement in decision-making processes concerning schedules, benefits, and compensation.
Workers at the VW plant have come close to being represented by the union in two previous elections. In both 2014 and 2019, a factorywide union under the UAW was narrowly rejected by the workers.
