SUMMARY
Employees at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, have overwhelmingly voted to join the United Auto Workers union. It’s the first time workers at a foreign car maker’s plant in the American South have unionized, giving UAW a foothold in the least-unionized region of the country. John Yang speaks with New York Times reporter Noam Scheiber to learn more.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Where is the Volkswagen plant that voted to unionize?
- How is the vote to unionize a Volkswagen plant unusual or notable?
- What is United Auto Workers, and who does the organization represent?
- Why did the workers who voted for it think a union was needed?
- Who has argued against forming a union at the plant in the past, and why?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
- The guest for this story, Noam Scheiber, says that support among the public for unions is high (over 70% based on polling) and higher than it's been in the previous decade. Why do you think support for unions has grown?
- Why do you think governors in some states oppose unions despite their increasing popular backing?
Media literacy: How could you find out how communities in Chattanooga, Tennessee (where the plant that unionized is located) feel about the move to unionize?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
FOR MORE
What students can do: Learn a little more about the history of labor unions in the U.S. with this explainer. Then discuss as a class — how has the role of unions changed through the decades?
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