Over 200 rally for organizing Volkswagen ahead of potentially historic election this week

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Supporters gather Sunday for a photo during a rally for the upcoming Volkswagen Chattanooga union vote. The rally was sponsored by Chattanoogans in Action for Love, Equality and Benevolence and was held at the at IBEW Local 175 Hall. Staff photo by Matt Hamilton/ Supporters gather Sunday for a photo during a rally for the upcoming Volkswagen Chattanooga union vote. The rally was sponsored by Chattanoogans in Action for Love, Equality and Benevolence and was held at the at IBEW Local 175 Hall.

By Mike Pare April 14, 2024 5 min read

Union supporters rallied Sunday ahead of what they called a potentially historic election at Volkswagen Chattanooga this week to organize a foreign automaker in the South.

To do so, the United Auto Workers will need to overcome the union’s own recent history of corruption, with one group saying the UAW spent millions of dollars last year on travel, country clubs and entertainment.

But Sunday afternoon, more than 200 people packed a union meeting room at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ office in Chattanooga in a raucous rally.