“There are roughly 150,000 workers at nonunion auto plants in the United States today, roughly the same number as at the American plants of the three unionized automakers.”
73% of 3,600 voters at the Chattanooga plant said yes, on 84% turnout. Volkswagen stayed neutral because its German union already holds a seat on the company’s board. The real fight is next month at Mercedes in Alabama, where nobody expects the same politeness. Half the American auto workforce has no union, and the company that let this vote happen answers to one at home.