The United Auto Workers (UAW) union could establish itself with a non-American manufacturer during a vote organized from this Wednesday, April 17. The 5,500 employees of the German group's site in Chattanooga, Tennessee, are asked to vote for or against the formation of a union, at the call of the UAW.
The UAW remains a prestigious success, with the signing of collective agreements among the "Big 3" in November. But so far, the union has not managed to establish itself in any of the non-American manufacturers, the vast majority of whom have taken up residence in southern states of the United States. But several experts say the tide may have turned, thanks to the momentum generated by the fall's advances among the three American giants of the sector. The aura of its new president, Shawn Fain, elected in March 2023, plays a role in this renewed mobilization. This trained electrician embodies renewal, breaking with the old guard, decimated by a corruption and embezzlement scandal which involved two former presidents.