Tennessee VW Workers Approve Contract with 96% Vote

Workers at Volkswagen's Tennessee plant just made history with one of the most decisive labor votes in recent memory.

On Thursday, 96% of employees voted yes to their first United Auto Workers contract, securing 20% pay raises over four years plus stronger healthcare and job protections. The overwhelming support shows just how ready workers were for this moment.

The vote caps off a long journey for the Chattanooga plant. Workers first voted to join the UAW back in April 2024, with 73% saying yes after narrow losses in 2014 and 2019. Now they've turned that representation into real gains.

UAW President Shawn Fain called it moving another mountain, and he's not exaggerating. Southern states have historically resisted union organizing, making this win even sweeter. The contract took 18 months of negotiations to hammer out, covering the only VW production facility in America.

The timing builds on momentum from 2023, when Detroit autoworkers won 25% raises and cost-of-living protections after a six-week strike at Ford, GM, and Stellantis. That success showed what was possible, and Tennessee workers are proving the movement can spread.

The Ripple Effect

This victory sends a clear message to workers across the South that organizing can succeed. Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant assembles the electric ID.4 SUV, positioning these workers at the heart of America's electric vehicle future with fair wages and security.

The company acknowledged the milestone reflects their commitment to competitive wages and long-term success for both employees and operations. When workers and management find common ground, everyone benefits.

Other organizing efforts have stumbled, including a loss at a Mercedes plant in Alabama last year. But this Tennessee win proves persistence pays off, especially when workers stick together.

Thousands of autoworkers now head into the future with better pay, stronger benefits, and the dignity of collective bargaining power.