TIMELINE-Volkswagen Tennessee plant workers vote on UAW membership

April 17 (Reuters) - After a series of victories against the Detroit Three automakers last fall, United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain is now trying to use his influence to organize other U.S. auto factories that have stayed out of the union's ambit. The UAW has tried and failed for years to organize nonunion U.S. auto factories, most of them built by Asian and European automakers in southern U.S. states where so-called right-to-work labor laws make it optional for workers to pay union dues. Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will vote this week, beginning Wednesday and ending on Friday, on whether to organize with the United Auto Workers union. It would be the third time in 10 years that the UAW has sought to represent VW Chattanooga workers. Winning a vote to organize the VW plant would be a significant milestone for the UAW. Here is a timeline of UAW's contract talks with the Detroit Three automakers and its efforts to organize non-unionized factories: Developments Date 2023 March 25 Shawn Fain wins the race for UAW president and vows to take a tough stance against the Big Three automakers. April 21 Fain says there is "no excuse" for Detroit's automakers to set up electric vehicle operations and ventures that are not unionized. July 10 The UAW says it will open contract talks with Detroit's Big Three automakers - Chrysler-parent Stellantis , Ford Motor and General Motors - on agreements covering about 150,000 U.S. workers. Aug. 01 Fain says the union is seeking ambitious benefit increases in contract talks with the Detroit Three automakers. Aug. 25 UAW members vote overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike at the Detroit Three automakers if an agreement is not reached before the then-current four-year contract expires on Sept. 14. Sep. 13 The UAW rejects counteroffers from the automakers and outlines plans for strikes targeting individual U.S. auto plants in what would be its first-ever simultaneous strike against the Detroit Three. Sept. 15 The union launches simultaneous strikes aimed at halting production at three factories owned by GM, Ford and Stellantis. Oct. 30 The union reaches a deal with GM, after reaching agreements with Stellantis and Ford, ending the strike against Detroit automakers. Nov. 1 Toyota Motor hikes wages of nonunion U.S. factory workers Nov. 2 The UAW signals the next step in the union's campaign: launching organizing drives at Toyota , Tesla and other nonunion U.S. auto factories. Nov. 8 Fain says the union will "pull out all stops" in working to organize non-union U.S. auto plants. Nov. 9 President Joe Biden backs UAW's efforts to unionize Tesla and Toyota workers. Nov. 10 Honda Motor says it will give production workers at its U.S. facilities an 11% pay hike starting in January. Nov. 13 Hyundai Motor says it will hike wages for nonunion production workers at its Alabama factory by 25% by 2028. Nov. 16 Japanese automaker Subaru says it will raise the wages of its U.S. workers at Subaru's assembly plant in Lafayette, Indiana. Nov. 20 The UAW says 64% of workers at the Detroit Three automakers voted to ratify new record contracts after a six-week targeted strike, as the union turns its attention to organizing foreign-owned and Tesla auto plants. Nov. 20 Nissan Motor says it will hike top wages for workers at U.S. manufacturing plants by 10% in January. Nov. 22 Volkswagen says it will hike salaries for production workers at its Tennessee-based Chattanooga assembly plant by 11%. Nov. 29 The UAW says it was launching a first-of-its-kind push to publicly organize the entire nonunion auto sector in the U.S. UAW says workers at 13 nonunion automakers were announcing simultaneous campaigns across the country to join the union. Dec. 07 The UAW says more than 1,000 factory workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga, Tennessee, assembly plant, which employs about 3,800 workers, have signed union authorization cards. Dec. 11 The UAW says it filed unfair labor practice charges against Honda Motor, Hyundai Motor and Volkswagen, citing aggressive anti-union campaigns to deter workers from organizing. 2024 Jan. 04 A group of 33 U.S. senators urges Tesla and 12 other automakers to remain neutral in ongoing efforts by the UAW to organize U.S. auto plants. Jan. 11 Tesla tells production workers in the United States that they will get a pay hike, Bloomberg News reported. Feb. 01 The UAW says more than 30% of workers at Hyundai Motor's Alabama plant have signed cards seeking to join the union. Feb. 06 The UAW says a majority of workers at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, assembly plant have signed cards to join the union Feb. 21 The union says it will commit $40 million to organizing non-union automobile and EV battery workers in the United States over the next two years. Feb. 27 The union says a majority of hourly workers at a Mercedes Benz Alabama factory have signed cards to join the union. March 06 The union said more than 30% of workers at a Toyota Motor Missouri factory are seeking to join the union. March 18 The union says a supermajority of eligible workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga, Tennessee assembly plant have signed union cards. March 25 Workers at Volkswagen's Chattanooga, Tennessee, assembly plant will vote in April on whether to join the United Auto Workers union. April 05 Workers at a Mercedes Benz factory in Vance, Alabama, file a petition with U.S. regulators to hold an election to join the United Auto Workers, the union said. April 17 Voting at Volkswagen Tennessee plant to begin. (Compiled by Kannaki Deka in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)