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VW and Auto Workers Explore Union at Tennessee Plant VW and Auto Workers Explore Union at Tennessee Plant
(about 3 hours later)
Volkswagen is working with the United Automobile Workers at its Chattanooga, Tenn., assembly plant on how to unionize the plant and create a German-style works council there, the president of the labor union said Friday. Volkswagen is working with the United Automobile Workers at its Chattanooga, Tenn., assembly plant on how to unionize the plant and create a German-style works council there, the president of the labor union said on Friday.
The company would be the first German automaker to have such a council at a United States plant. A works council is a group of employees that includes white- and blue-collar workers that meets with management on issues like working conditions and productivity. The company would be the first German automaker to have such a council at a United States plant. A works council is a group of employees, including both white- and blue-collar workers, that meets with management on issues like working conditions and productivity.
But in order to avoid violating American labor laws, the plant would first have to be formally unionized, the company said. But to avoid violating American labor laws, the plant would first have to be formally unionized, the company said.
“VW workers in Chattanooga have the unique opportunity to introduce this new model of labor relations to the United States, in partnership with the U.A.W.,” the union’s president, Bob King, said in a statement Friday. “VW workers in Chattanooga have the unique opportunity to introduce this new model of labor relations to the United States, in partnership with the U.A.W.,” the union’s president, Bob King, said in a statement on Friday.
Volkswagen officials told employees at the Chattanooga plant on Thursday that it was negotiating with the union about establishing a works council there, where about 2,000 workers assemble the VW Passat. A letter, signed by the plant’s chairman, Frank Fischer, and its vice president for human resources, Sebastian Patta, said the talks were aimed at “the possibility of implementing an innovative model of employee representation for all employees.”Volkswagen officials told employees at the Chattanooga plant on Thursday that it was negotiating with the union about establishing a works council there, where about 2,000 workers assemble the VW Passat. A letter, signed by the plant’s chairman, Frank Fischer, and its vice president for human resources, Sebastian Patta, said the talks were aimed at “the possibility of implementing an innovative model of employee representation for all employees.”
The VW officials said that a works council can be created at a company in the United States only with the cooperation of a labor union because it might otherwise be viewed as an illegal company-sponsored union. That, the VW officials wrote, is why the company has started its dialogue with the U.A.W. None of the foreign carmakers with auto plants in the South are currently unionized. The VW officials said that a works council could be created at a company in the United States only with the cooperation of a labor union because it might otherwise be viewed as an illegal company-sponsored union. That, the VW officials wrote, is why the company has started its dialogue with the U.A.W. None of the foreign carmakers with auto plants in the South are currently unionized.
Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee has been outspoken in opposing any union inroads at the Volkswagen plant, warning that it would undermine his state’s efforts to attract investment. On Tuesday, for example, he said, “We have heard from other folks that we’re recruiting that that would dampen their enthusiasm with Tennessee.” Gov. Bill Haslam of Tennessee has been outspoken in opposing any union inroads at the Volkswagen plant, warning that it would undermine his state’s efforts to attract investment. On Tuesday, for example, he said, “We have heard from other folks that we’re recruiting that that would dampen their enthusiasm with Tennessee.”
Volkswagen and U.A.W. officials met on Aug. 30 in Wolfsburg, Germany, where the company is based, to continue previous discussions about the works council and unionizing at the Chattanooga plant, which has been operating since 2011 and has a total of 2,500 employees including managers. Volkswagen has faced pressure from officials on its Global Works Council to set up a council in Chattanooga – the only major VW facility that does not have one. Volkswagen and U.A.W. officials met on Aug. 30 in Wolfsburg, Germany, where the company is based, to continue previous discussions about the works council and unionizing at the Chattanooga plant, which has been operating since 2011 and has a total of 2,500 employees including managers. Volkswagen has faced pressure from officials on its Global Works Council to set up a council in Chattanooga — the only major VW facility that does not have one.
Some labor and auto experts say that if the VW plant in Chattanooga gets a works council, it would create pressure to do likewise at the BMW plant in Spartanburg, S.C., and the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Ala.Some labor and auto experts say that if the VW plant in Chattanooga gets a works council, it would create pressure to do likewise at the BMW plant in Spartanburg, S.C., and the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Ala.
While some executives see works councils as a pesky thorn in their side, others see them as a useful source of ideas from the shop floor and a vehicle to build consensus and employee morale.While some executives see works councils as a pesky thorn in their side, others see them as a useful source of ideas from the shop floor and a vehicle to build consensus and employee morale.
“Volkswagen is a company that has extensive experience with union representation,” Mr. King said in his statement, “and the U.A.W. believes the role of the union in the 21st century is to create an environment where both the company and workers succeed.”“Volkswagen is a company that has extensive experience with union representation,” Mr. King said in his statement, “and the U.A.W. believes the role of the union in the 21st century is to create an environment where both the company and workers succeed.”
U.A.W. officials say that Volkswagen has agreed to not oppose any unionization drive in Chattanooga.U.A.W. officials say that Volkswagen has agreed to not oppose any unionization drive in Chattanooga.
In the letter to Chattanooga employees, Mr. Fischer and Mr. Patta wrote that they wanted to “prevent any influence from outside driving a wedge into our great team.”In the letter to Chattanooga employees, Mr. Fischer and Mr. Patta wrote that they wanted to “prevent any influence from outside driving a wedge into our great team.”
That resembles language that anti-union companies often use to suggest that unions would be an undesirable third party that gets between employees and managers. But a U.A.W. official said that sentence referred to anti-union groups, like the Competitive Enterprise Institute and its Center for Economic Freedom, that have vigorously criticized Volkswagen for not battling to keep out a union the way that many American companies do.That resembles language that anti-union companies often use to suggest that unions would be an undesirable third party that gets between employees and managers. But a U.A.W. official said that sentence referred to anti-union groups, like the Competitive Enterprise Institute and its Center for Economic Freedom, that have vigorously criticized Volkswagen for not battling to keep out a union the way that many American companies do.