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    Manufacturers/End Users

    February 23, 2026

    Landmark deal: Volkswagen workers ratify first UAW contract in South

    Written by Laura Miller

    Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., voted overwhelmingly last week to ratify a labor contract with the United Autoworkers. The deal marks the first union contract for Southern autoworkers outside the “Big Three” Detroit-area automakers.

    After reaching a tentative agreement earlier this month, VW workers voted by 96% to ratify their first union contract. Recall the workers elected to join the UAW last year.

    Laura Miller

    Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held various editorial positions with steel industry publications, associations, and mills since 2007. She joined the SMU team in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

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