Negotiations are underway between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Volkswagen in Tennessee as the two sides work to hammer out the very first contract between VW union members and the automaker. Earlier this year, 4,300 workers at the VW's Chattanooga plant voted almost 3-to-1 to join the UAW, becoming the first Southern autoworkers outside the Big Three to unionize. The all-electric VW ID.4 is one model built at the plant.
The two sides started negotiating a contract on September 19th with a 20-person elected bargaining committee negotiating on behalf of the workers. The UAW says workers are aiming to win a first agreement that raises standards and includes wages, benefits, and protections on par with those secured by autoworkers in unionized plant
In a statement September 19th: Volkswagen said:
We kicked off negotiations with the UAW this morning and listened to their 800 demands. We are getting to work reviewing each of the demands in detail. We are committed to hearing our employees’ feedback and reaching a deal that improves their experience. These negotiations are unprecedented, and we recognize our agreement will establish a new model for a contract of this kind. We will work collaboratively and creatively with the UAW to take a fresh approach and reach a deal that is specifically right for our employees and families, our plant and our community.
On September 24th, the UAW released a video outlining the priority demands of VW workers as contract negotiations got started. You can watch the video here.
In a media release, the UAW shares comments from VW workers:
“I got the carpal tunnel scar right there,” describes Josh Epperson, highlighting the need to prioritize health and safety protocols in their contract. “We have jobs in there that we know are going to hurt people. So why haven't we done anything about that?”
“I have tears in both my rotator cuffs, and I have to have surgery,” says Yolanda Peoples, a UAW bargaining committee member. “If we're gonna win the contract that we deserve, it’s not just the bargainers. We need everyone involved.”
The UAW says with representation across every department and shift, the bargaining committee has been meeting for weeks to synthesize survey data about members’ aspirations and goals for the first agreement. Supported by veteran negotiator Chuck Browning, UAW Vice President, the group has been reviewing company and industry data and contract language from agreements with Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.
Full transcript featuring workers from the Volkswagen Chattanooga bargaining team, read the UAW statement here→