North Alabama's Unions Congratulate UAW Members at Volkswagen Chattanooga on Historic Tentative Agreement

Huntsville — The North Alabama Area Labor Council proudly congratulates the United Auto Workers (UAW) members at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee assembly plant for reaching an historic tentative agreement with the company. After nearly two years of hard-fought negotiations and collective action, workers at the Chattanooga facility — the first major foreign-owned auto plant in the South to vote to form a union — have secured a tentative agreement that would deliver significant wage increases, better health care, and stronger job protections.

The agreement includes a 20% wage increase over the life of the contract, a 20% reduction in healthcare costs, enhanced job security, and greater paid time off. The contract would bring meaningful economic gains to thousands of autoworkers and set a new standard for work in the Southern auto industry.

“This is a life-changing moment for these workers and for labor organizing in the South,” said Jacob Morrison, North Alabama Area Labor Council President. “These members stood together with courage and unity to demand fair pay, respect on the job, and a real voice at the bargaining table — and now they’ve won a tentative agreement that reflects their strength.”

Democracy on the Job — A Rare Win for Working People

The tentative agreement must now be ratified by the UAW membership at the plant, a democratic process that illustrates the power of collective decision-making in the workplace. For the large majority of workers in this country — roughly 90% who are not union members — the chance to vote directly on the terms of their employment is unheard of.

“We applaud these workers not only for what they won at the table, but for exercising real democracy on the job,” said Whitney Washington, North Alabama Area Labor Council Vice President. “This process shows what working people can achieve when they organize and demand a voice in the decisions that shape their lives and livelihoods.”

A Beacon for Workers in North Alabama

The Volkswagen tentative agreement is a breakthrough not only for Chattanooga autoworkers but also for workers across the South, including here in North Alabama.

“In places like Mazda Toyota and Polaris in Huntsville, Mercedes in Vance, and Hyundai in Montgomery, workers are watching this fight closely,” said Adam Keller, a union stagehand and Worker Power Campaign Director for Alabama Arise. “This agreement shows that even in hostile climates, workers can organize, win real gains, and build power together.”

The North Alabama Area Labor Council stands ready to support workers in all industries who choose to organize and we encourage workers in non-union facilities within our jurisdiction to bring their voices together to demand dignity, fair wages, and a seat at the table.