The Hidden Battle: Unionization Struggles of Volkswagen’s Chattanooga Workers

This descriptive critical incident (CI) highlights the monumental union victory led by Shawn Fain, the United Auto Workers president, at Volkswagen’s (VW) Chattanooga plant in Tennessee. This victory, which challenged the status quo of labor relations in the South of the US, is a significant event in the history of labor relations in the US. The CI explores the unique challenges faced by VW, a company renowned for its robust labor force, due to the contrasting labor policies in the US and Germany. In the aftermath of the unionization, Fain is supposed to safeguard the workers' rights and ensure their voices are heard in the organization. The CI delves into how Fain has effectively utilized the power of collective bargaining to uphold his commitments to the workers, underscoring the importance of this victory in the labor movement.