Volkswagen workers to vote on union representation next month in the 1st test of recruiting drive

DETROIT (AP) — Workers at Volkswagen’s factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will vote next month on whether they want to be represented by the United Auto Workers union.

The National Labor Relations Board said Monday that the election will take place from April 17 to 19 at the plant, in the first test of the union's effort to organize nonunion automobile factories across the nation.

Workers at the 3.8 million square foot (353,353 square meter) factory with more than 4,000 production workers filed paperwork March 18 seeking the election.

Both sides reached agreement to have the election in April, the NLRB said.

The UAW announced its organizing campaign last fall after it won strong contracts with Detroit automakers. The UAW said it would simultaneously target more than a dozen nonunion auto plants including those run by Tesla, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Honda, and others.

The drive covers nearly 150,000 workers at factories largely in the South, where the union thus far has had little success in recruiting new members.

The UAW said a supermajority of the VW plant’s production workers had signed cards supporting union representation, but it would not provide a number. A union can seek an election run by the NLRB once a majority of workers support it.

Volkswagen has said it respects the 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 UAW has said workers in Chattanooga, who make Atlas SUVs and the ID.4 electric vehicle, have complained about mistreatment by Volkswagen management including mandatory overtime on Saturdays. They also are seeking higher pay.

The union has come close to...