The National Labor Relations Board said the vote was 262 to 985, or 73% approval. The voting started at 4:45 a.m. Wednesday and ran until 8 p.m. Friday.

“In a historic victory, an overwhelming majority of Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have voted to join the UAW,” said union spokesman Jonah Furman. “The outcome is clear; Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga are the first Southern autoworkers outside of the Big Three to win their union.”

After the vote, UAW President Shawn Fain told reporters at the plant that the vote reflects the fact that working-class people are “fed up with being left behind” and living paycheck to paycheck.

“This gives workers everywhere else the indication that it's OK and it can be done,” Fain said about organizing the VW plant. “All we heard for years is that we can't do this in the South. And you can. Workers can do it. It's time for workers to take more control of their lives. The only way they can take control of their work lives is by forming a union.”

The union will now represent the only VW plant in the United States, winning by a landslide after failed votes in 2014 and 2019. The victory came in spite of opposition by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who joined five other Republican governors in issuing a joint statement in opposition to the UAW’s organizing efforts in the South. The union was able to successfully capitalize on the momentum from its successful strike against the Big Three automakers this fall.

The UAW hopes to further build on this momentum by organizing the Mercedes-Benz plants in Vance and Woodstock, Alabama this May.

#ChattanoogaTN #Labor #UAW #Unionize #VW

New Orleans, LA – On February 7, workers at Starbucks on Saint Claude Street won their union election in a 12 to 4 vote. This is the third Starbucks to unionize in New Orleans. Baristas complain of an unsafe work environment, lack of predictable or sufficient hours, and a workplace that is falling apart.

“I'm really proud of all our partners for showing up to vote and making their voices heard. We are hopeful that Starbucks will bargain with us in good faith and we can negotiate a contract that supports and represents all the lovely, hardworking employees at our store,” said Alexis Clark, who has been working at the location for two years.

“The efforts and plans we strived for finally paid off, this whole situation was a long time coming, and I'm happy with where we turned out,” barista Julian Musay said.

#NewOrleansLA #Labor #Starbucks #StarbucksWorkersUnited #Unionize

New Orleans, LA – On January 11, with 90% support, workers at Starbucks on St. Claude filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board. The store is located near the French Quarter and serves some tourists and locals.

“How I see it, unionizing my store will allow not only myself, but also my fellow partners to join together and create the ideal workspace for all of us. We've all decided the best way for us to see promising results is to take action into our hands and handle the situation ourselves,” said Julian Missy, an organizer and worker at the store for over a year.

The St. Claude location deals with some of the highest cases of safety incidents of any Starbucks location in New Orleans. Baristas have often had to work through verbal and physical harassment, with one barista even saying that she was forced to open after seeing someone die in the parking lot.

“Unionizing our store means a lot of different things – for me personally it means safety and community. We the partners deserve to feel safe and secure in our work environment. Without this security, we limit our potential and ability to fully communicate to our customers,” said Alyena Wagner, an organizer and worker at St. Claude.

Workers made clear that feeling unsafe at work has affected their lives outside of the workplace.

“When I’m forced to smile while customers yell and threaten me daily, that makes it harder to sleep before shifts, or to not feel anxious and exhausted during the day. Unionizing at our shop is a good idea because there is no profit incentive for Starbucks to care about our safety or wellbeing without us making them. We’re ready to fight to make sure workers at our store can prosper while working there,“ said Abbey Lodwig, another organizer at St. Claude.

If workers there vote to unionize, that will mark the third Starbucks in New Orleans to do so. Considering the location’s high tourist volume, the filing is important for the city’s hospitality industry as well.

#NewOrleansLA #Labor #Starbucks #Unionize

New Orleans, LA – On September 20, workers at French Truck Coffee in the French Quarter voted 8-0 to unionize. The French Quarter is the city’s tourism hub and generates billions each year. But hospitality workers often work for low wages and no benefits at non-union small or mid-sized businesses. This is the first workplace of this kind to unionize. It is also the first union at French Truck, an expanding regional coffee chain.

“Working in a city where the average rent is $1500 and we only make $10 an hour isn’t right,” said Autumn West, a barista at French Truck. Workers also complain about inconsistent schedules and unstable employment. “I think the best thing about having a union is having job security,” testified Nevaeh Ross, another employee.

This successful union drive comes on the heels of others at the Poydras and Maple Street Starbucks locations.

#NewOrleansLA #Unionize