Chattanooga, Tenn.(TN Tribune), Yesterday, the Volkswagen autoworkers in Chattanooga, Tennessee overwhelmingly voted “Yes” to unionize and become members of the United Auto Workers (UAW). In comparing the move to the historic 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders congratulates the Volkswagen autoworkers.
“On behalf of AFSCME’s 1.4 million members, congratulations to the Volkswagen autoworkers on winning their union in Tennessee,” Saunders said. “It shows what we already know —workers in every part of this country want the freedom to join a union, and when we stand together, we have tremendous power. Even though the deck is stacked against us, momentum is on our side, and we’re winning.”
Saunders added, “In 1968, the Memphis Sanitation Strike, a stand made by 1,300 African American workers for dignity and respect in the deep South, inspired a wave of organizing in public service. Its enduring impact and lessons cannot be forgotten. As we witness another history-making moment in Tennessee, we must recommit ourselves to organizing everywhere.”
