Read this article in:
English
20 February, 2026In a resounding victory for autoworkers in the US South, more than 3,000 workers at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee plant have voted by 96 per cent to ratify their first-ever union contract.
The agreement locks in 20 per cent wage increases, reductions in healthcare costs, job security guarantees and an enforceable grievance procedure ,delivering long-awaited dignity, security and respect on the job. The vote marks the culmination of a years-long struggle to secure union recognition and collective bargaining rights.
The victory follows the workers’ overwhelming decision in April 2024 to join the United Auto Workers (UAW), a breakthrough moment for organizing in the traditionally anti-union South. In October 2025, after more than a year of negotiations, workers demonstrated their determination by voting to authorize strike action to secure a fair agreement. That mandate strengthened their bargaining power and, in early February, a tentative deal was reached, now emphatically endorsed by the membership.
“This victory shows what happens when workers stand up and refuse to be ignored. We didn’t just win better wages and raise standards at our plant, we forced respect onto the table and got it all in writing,” said Yogi Peoples, a member of the bargaining committee from Assembly. “Our victory here at Volkswagen should send a message to autoworkers everywhere: don’t let management divide you. When workers fight together, united and unafraid, we can beat the odds and win.”
UAW president, Shawn Fain, praised the workers’ courage and persistence:
“Volkswagen workers have moved yet another mountain. From having the courage to stand up and form their union, to having the backbone to authorize a strike and hold out for a contract that honours their worth. VW workers are leading the way for the entire labour movement and non-union autoworkers everywhere. Welcome to the UAW family.”
The Chattanooga victory was achieved with solidarity beyond borders. Workers received support from the Volkswagen Works Council and Germany’s powerful metalworkers’ union, IG Metall, an IndustriALL affiliate, demonstrating the importance of global trade union cooperation in multinational companies.
IndustriALL Global Union general secretary, Atle Høie, welcomed the breakthrough:
“This is a landmark victory not only for Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, but for workers across the United States and globally. It proves that when workers organize collectively and stand firm, they can win binding agreements. This sends a powerful signal to multinational companies everywhere: respect for trade union rights and collective bargaining is not optional it is fundamental.”
Soon after winning union recognition, workers elected a 20-member negotiating committee made up of their peers, ensuring the bargaining agenda reflected shop-floor priorities. The ratified contract now provides a legally binding framework guaranteeing fair pay, more affordable healthcare, safer working conditions and clear protections against favouritism.
Photos: UAW website