UAW members ratify deal at Volkswagen Chattanooga plant

Workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant ratified a UAW contract by 96%, approving terms that include a 20% wage increase and bonuses.

Workers at the Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to ratify a collective bargaining agreement with the United Auto Workers. The tentative deal was announced after about 18 months of negotiations, and employees voted in person over two days. This plant is the first major automotive facility in the American South to secure a UAW contract after earlier unsuccessful union votes. Union and company statements framed the ratification as a milestone for workers and for operations in Chattanooga. Key facts: - Workers ratified the tentative agreement by a 96% margin. - The agreement includes a 20% wage increase and an improved health care plan. - Each worker will receive a $6,550 one-time bonus for reaching a deal and annual bonuses of $2,550 for the life of the contract. - Negotiations lasted about 18 months and the tentative deal was announced on Feb. 4; employees voted in person over two days. - The Chattanooga plant previously voted against joining the UAW in 2014 and 2019 before voting to unionize in 2024. Summary: The ratified contract implements pay and benefit changes that workers approved and is presented by union leaders as giving momentum to organizing efforts in the South. Implementation of the contract's pay and benefit provisions will follow the timetable and terms set in the agreement.