From Payday Report: 73% Win Puts Volkswagen Workers in Strong Bargaining Positioning
Berry Craig
BY: MIKE ELK APRIL 20, 2024
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE ”I’ve— been through three of them. So it was just a different field for this time,” says 12-year Volkswagen worker Dontun Rutledge, standing drinking a bottle of whiskey outside of UAW’s victory party in Chattanooga last night.
In his 12 years working at the plant, the UAW had tried and failed at Volkswagen in 2014 and again in 2019. Yesterday, the union won an astounding victory, with 73% of workers voting for the union, a sign of unity among the workforce.
“Even with some of the older cats, there was in there, and they were the older guys, one day was in there, that were ant-union. They now is on board,” says Rutledge.