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| Can the Germans save American labour? | Can the Germans save American labour? |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Workers at a Volkswagen car plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee are poised to make US labour history. | Workers at a Volkswagen car plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee are poised to make US labour history. |
| In a move that could reverse 70 years of Southern factory work, they're on the verge of unionising - a feat in a part of the US where collective bargaining has generally been shunned and low wages have long been a selling point to lure big firms like Nissan and Boeing to the region. | In a move that could reverse 70 years of Southern factory work, they're on the verge of unionising - a feat in a part of the US where collective bargaining has generally been shunned and low wages have long been a selling point to lure big firms like Nissan and Boeing to the region. |
| About 1,550 workers at the plant - which makes the mid-size Passat for Volkswagen - began voting on Wednesday in an election that concludes on Friday. | |
| If a majority vote in favour of a proposal to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, it "would be a radical departure from the past approach in the South to economic development," says Vanderbilt University's professor David Cornfield. | If a majority vote in favour of a proposal to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, it "would be a radical departure from the past approach in the South to economic development," says Vanderbilt University's professor David Cornfield. |
| Moreover, it would be a particularly German approach to collective bargaining, with workers given more control over day-to-day management through "work councils". | Moreover, it would be a particularly German approach to collective bargaining, with workers given more control over day-to-day management through "work councils". |
| But what many are hailing as a potential victory for organised labour is sending shivers throughout Republicans and the business community in Tennessee. | But what many are hailing as a potential victory for organised labour is sending shivers throughout Republicans and the business community in Tennessee. |
| "Businesses are choosing to move to [non-union] states for obvious reasons and I think we can expect if the UAW wins this election that other states and other communities are going to try and take" business from Tennessee, says Maury Nicely, a representative of Southern Momentum, a coalition of anti-union workers at the Chattanooga plant. | "Businesses are choosing to move to [non-union] states for obvious reasons and I think we can expect if the UAW wins this election that other states and other communities are going to try and take" business from Tennessee, says Maury Nicely, a representative of Southern Momentum, a coalition of anti-union workers at the Chattanooga plant. |
| First of its kind | First of its kind |
| Although the vote was scheduled just last week, the push for organisation started a few years after Volkswagen (VW) opened its only US facility in Chattanooga in 2010. | |
| Chris Brown, 38, was one of the very first to apply for a job at the plant. | Chris Brown, 38, was one of the very first to apply for a job at the plant. |
| "I had always wanted a job working in auto manufacturing but there wasn't any facility down here," he says. | "I had always wanted a job working in auto manufacturing but there wasn't any facility down here," he says. |
| "I remember the day I read about [VW opening a plan] in the newspaper I thought this is amazing - I applied and VW saw fit to hire me." | "I remember the day I read about [VW opening a plan] in the newspaper I thought this is amazing - I applied and VW saw fit to hire me." |
| But despite his enthusiasm for the job - he works on the assembly line applying the finishing touches to the vehicles - he thought it might be better if there was a structure in place for workers. | But despite his enthusiasm for the job - he works on the assembly line applying the finishing touches to the vehicles - he thought it might be better if there was a structure in place for workers. |
| So Mr Brown and a fellow co-worker met with representatives from the UAW - and that's when they discovered that the other 61 VW plants around the globe have "work councils". | So Mr Brown and a fellow co-worker met with representatives from the UAW - and that's when they discovered that the other 61 VW plants around the globe have "work councils". |
| "A works council is elected by the entire workforce. It then has daily interactions with management around problem solving, production and personnel issues, labour standards," explains Cornell labour historian Lowell Turner. | "A works council is elected by the entire workforce. It then has daily interactions with management around problem solving, production and personnel issues, labour standards," explains Cornell labour historian Lowell Turner. |
| Mandated by law in Germany and popular in other European countries, works councils have never before been tried in a US manufacturing facility. | Mandated by law in Germany and popular in other European countries, works councils have never before been tried in a US manufacturing facility. |
| "American companies don't even know anything about works councils, don't want to know anything about works councils, and are resistant to unions," explains Prof Turner. | "American companies don't even know anything about works councils, don't want to know anything about works councils, and are resistant to unions," explains Prof Turner. |
| Now, he and his fellow supporters have spearheaded the first attempt in 13 years to unionise a plant that is not run by one of the three big US carmakers - General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. | Now, he and his fellow supporters have spearheaded the first attempt in 13 years to unionise a plant that is not run by one of the three big US carmakers - General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. |
| "This model has never been here before - we're hoping this will open up a new era in the south," he says. | "This model has never been here before - we're hoping this will open up a new era in the south," he says. |
| German roots, American expression | German roots, American expression |
| But VW, of course, is not a US firm. | But VW, of course, is not a US firm. |
| And in a departure from other foreign car manufacturers who haven't taken kindly to organisation efforts, VW has remained "neutral" on the UAW's push. | And in a departure from other foreign car manufacturers who haven't taken kindly to organisation efforts, VW has remained "neutral" on the UAW's push. |
| In a tacit show of support, Volkswagen Chattanooga chief executive Frank Fischer said in a statement: "Our plant in Chattanooga has the opportunity to create a uniquely American Works Council, in which the company would be able to work co-operatively with our employees and ultimately their union representatives, if the employees decide they wish to be represented by a union." | In a tacit show of support, Volkswagen Chattanooga chief executive Frank Fischer said in a statement: "Our plant in Chattanooga has the opportunity to create a uniquely American Works Council, in which the company would be able to work co-operatively with our employees and ultimately their union representatives, if the employees decide they wish to be represented by a union." |
| All from Germany | All from Germany |
| But not everyone is looking to usher in this new era, particularly with its European associations. | But not everyone is looking to usher in this new era, particularly with its European associations. |
| "This all emanates from Germany," says Mr Nicely, who says the workers he represents think that the plant has been a success story without union help. | "This all emanates from Germany," says Mr Nicely, who says the workers he represents think that the plant has been a success story without union help. |
| Others opposed include anti-union Republicans like Grover Norquist, who has spent millions opposing the campaign through an organisation called the Center for Worker Freedom, which has bought 13 billboards in Chattanooga. | Others opposed include anti-union Republicans like Grover Norquist, who has spent millions opposing the campaign through an organisation called the Center for Worker Freedom, which has bought 13 billboards in Chattanooga. |
| Even Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, a Republican who played an instrumental role in securing VW's business by luring the firm with over $500m in incentives, has spoken out, saying it could hurt the local economy by scaring away business. | Even Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, a Republican who played an instrumental role in securing VW's business by luring the firm with over $500m in incentives, has spoken out, saying it could hurt the local economy by scaring away business. |
| Sen Corker said on Wednesday that VW would decide to produce a new sports utility vehicle in a plant in Mexico if the union vote was successful, although VW later denied this would be the case. | Sen Corker said on Wednesday that VW would decide to produce a new sports utility vehicle in a plant in Mexico if the union vote was successful, although VW later denied this would be the case. |
| A new model | A new model |
| The results of the election are set to be released later on Friday. | The results of the election are set to be released later on Friday. |
| A failure in Chattanooga would almost certainly damage the UAW and could significantly curtail future organisation efforts, as a failed attempt to organise at a Nissan plant in Smryna, Tennessee, did in 2001. | A failure in Chattanooga would almost certainly damage the UAW and could significantly curtail future organisation efforts, as a failed attempt to organise at a Nissan plant in Smryna, Tennessee, did in 2001. |
| But a victory - particularly one that has at its core a commitment to German-style labour relations - could have far reaching implications for workers across the US. | But a victory - particularly one that has at its core a commitment to German-style labour relations - could have far reaching implications for workers across the US. |
| "American workers for the first time are getting the opportunity to vote for union representation that would also include a German-style works council," says Prof Turner. | "American workers for the first time are getting the opportunity to vote for union representation that would also include a German-style works council," says Prof Turner. |
| "If it works then we have a new model to draw on that could serve as an inspiration for other companies and unions around the country who are looking for new model of labour relations." | "If it works then we have a new model to draw on that could serve as an inspiration for other companies and unions around the country who are looking for new model of labour relations." |