VW hires labor relations exec from GM ahead of UAW talks

Volkswagen hired a General Motors veteran to take charge of its upcoming contract negotiations with the UAW.

Christena Wilson started as director of labor relations in July, Volkswagen Group of America said. Workers at the company's Chattanooga plant voted overwhelmingly to join the UAW in April.

Wilson was at GM for 25 years, most recently as human resources and labor relations site director for its assembly plant in Arlington, Texas, according to her LinkedIn profile. She also worked at several GM plants in Michigan and Canada, according to a May 2023 opinion piece she wrote for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"We remain focused on preparing for collective bargaining and have hired Christena Wilson to lead labor relations," Volkswagen said in an emailed statement to Automotive News. "As we've said, we will enter negotiations in the spirit of working together to reach a fair agreement that will ensure a strong and successful future for Volkswagen Chattanooga with the UAW."

On Aug. 12, the UAW's outside legal counsel, Benjamin Dictor, posted on the social media platform X that he was in Chattanooga to get a committee of rank-and-file members ready to begin bargaining.

The UAW's April victory followed two failed attempts over the past decade to organize the Chattanooga plant. Union supporters pushed for the vote after the UAW ratified historically rich contracts with the Detroit 3, making the case that VW workers could get better pay, benefits and job security.

UAW President Shawn Fain previously told Automotive News that the union would work to get a contract with VW as soon as possible. The UAW did not respond to a request for comment regarding its plans around bargaining a first contract at VW.

Michael Martinez contributed to this report.