Volkswagen Tennessee Workers Reject Union, Dealing Blow to UAW

Auto workers at Volkswagen AG’s Chattanooga, Tennessee plant voted against joining the United Auto Workers Friday night, handing the labor union a bitter defeat in a hard-fought effort to organize workers at a foreign-owned auto plant in a southern state.

In three days of balloting that ended Friday, 833 hourly workers voted against UAW representation, while 776 voted in favor, with 93% of eligible employees voting, according to preliminary results released by Volkswagen. The result isn’t official until the federal labor board certifies it in the coming weeks.

The election results carry added weight for the UAW, which has ...