General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumswtf? UAW withdraws Volkswagen appeal
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The United Auto Workers announced Monday it is withdrawing its appeal of the outcome of a union vote at Volkswagen's assembly plant in Tennessee.
In a statement released one hour before the scheduled start of a National Labor Relations Board hearing in Chattanooga, Tenn., UAW President Bob King said the union decided to abandon the challenge because it could have taken months or even years to come to a conclusion.
"The UAW is ready to put February's tainted election in the rearview mirror and instead focus on advocating for new jobs and economic investment in Chattanooga," King said.
The UAW had filed its appeal after Volkswagen workers rejected the union in a 712-626 vote in February, arguing that public statements from U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and other GOP officials had raised fears about the plant's future if workers there organized.
http://www.wsmv.com/story/25296501/uaw-withdraws-volkswagen-appeal
Lars39
(26,116 posts)rocktivity
(44,577 posts)or somebody's being blackmailed.
Why not simply have another election?
rocktivity
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)The financial input would have been great and the likelihood of prevailing would have been nearly non-existent due to the problems surrounding public elected officials being the people who intervened rather than managers from the company.
spanone
(135,874 posts)MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)The regulations being used to challenge the vote pertain only to intervention by company officials.
It was a tenuous argument on its face and the regs need to be changed, but even if changed they cannot go back and undo something that was fine under the regs at the time.
malaise
(269,157 posts)Something is wrong here.
jeff47
(26,549 posts)Long story short, they figured they could never win before the NLRB. Regulations against interference only cover company officials, not government officials.
The UAW also says they think they'll have better luck working through Congress for both an investigation and changes to the regulations and laws.
Savannahmann
(3,891 posts)That is until November when the Rethugs will most probably win control of that chamber too.
otherone
(973 posts)peace and low stress..
clarice
(5,504 posts)GeorgeGist
(25,323 posts)Savannahmann
(3,891 posts)The vote was held, and the UAW lost. The why is an issue, but not one for the NLRB to take up. VW acted properly and even tacitly approved of the move to Unionize.
Would you expect them to set the vote aside and announce that the employees are now unionized? Talk about lawsuits out the wazoo, that is a recipe for bankruptcy via legal fees.
So exactly how is VW supposed to act?
otherone
(973 posts)now that he got what he wanted..
otherone
(973 posts)the UAW was being scapgoated as Corker can't deliver.
Savannahmann
(3,891 posts)In January, VW announced that they were investing $7 Billion in expanding their North American market share. That will certainly include additional models and manufacturing to maximize the "American made" label on the VW's.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/13/us-autoshow-detroit-vw-investment-idUSBREA0C00O20140113
(Reuters) - Volkswagen AG said on Sunday it plans to make a sport utility vehicle tailored for the North American market and will invest $7 billion in the region as it seeks to increase sales.
Europe's largest automaker reiterated its goal of selling 1 million Volkswagen and upscale Audi vehicles annually in the United States by 2018 as it launches more locally made cars.
The company said the move was a sign of renewed commitment to the market after a sales decline by its core VW brand, which continues to achieve low U.S. quality scores.
So Corker's claim will come true, and it would have even if the vote had gone for the UAW. It was nothing more than a show. Like a magician claiming that he would make the sun disappear on the day of an eclipse. The sun vanishing was going to happen anyway, and there isn't really anything that anyone could do to stop it.
Sgent
(5,857 posts)the German board of directors (1/3 union) has said they will not expand the factory until worker council's are in place, which in the US requires a union. There are a lot of factories in Michigan and Ohio that would agree to be unionized.
Savannahmann
(3,891 posts)They really want to bump Toyota out of Second place. That's part of the goal is expanding the market share in North America. I figure it's almost certain that the Board of Directors will change their opinion especially since the UAW has dropped their claim.
Either way, Volkswagen is expanding. And Union aside, the plant in Chattanooga is a Green miracle for an auto plant.
The 33 Acre solar farm is highlighted here.
Finally, one more video that is from VW about the many green earth policies that they've invested in.
I became aware of all of that stuff about a year ago, and I was seriously impressed, and regretted not choosing a VW when I had bought a new car for Herself, the wife. It was one of the final two choices, but we went with Toyota instead.
otherone
(973 posts)Kick
pa28
(6,145 posts)Last edited Mon Apr 21, 2014, 07:41 PM - Edit history (1)
and promising accountability along with the state legislature, NLRB and Congressional Democrats.
Looks like Corker's malfeasance is getting swept under the rug . . . as Republican malfeasance always is.
Weak.
spanone
(135,874 posts)Last edited Mon Apr 21, 2014, 07:51 PM - Edit history (1)
or the threat of subpoenas???
pa28
(6,145 posts)Unfortunately that seems to be what happened here.
okaawhatever
(9,462 posts)Dems (Federal Level) pursuing a hearing on Corker and others involvement. Remember, VW didn't want a union. They want a works council similar to theirs in Germany. UAW had signed a unique agreement with the plant regarding their role, which made it more similar to the works council. If that's the case I think the UAW did the right thing. The NLRB rules for this aren't very helpful and VW was holding up the expansion until something could get worked out. The UAW's reputation may have been so tarnished by it that workers in the South would have never welcomed them.
From UAW Regional Director Gary Casteel:
"Now they need to step up and do what's right for VW and those workers over there, get the incentives without any strings attached, and let VW concentrate on making cars and implementing their philosophy and culture that they use globally into that plant in Chattanooga," he said.
From the Guardian article:
The unprecedented political interference by governor Haslam, senator Corker and others was a distraction for Volkswagen employees and a detour from achieving Tennessees economic priorities, King said. The UAW is ready to put Februarys tainted election in the rearview mirror and instead focus on advocating for new jobs and economic investment in Chattanooga.
House committee members George Miller of California and John Tierney of Massachusetts sent a letter to Haslam last week asking for documents relating to the incentives package.
Our request is part of an inquiry to understand the extent to which the activities of Tennessee state officials may have undermined, or attempted to undermine, federal rights guaranteed to workers in Chattanooga, the letter said.
King said the UAW would ask the congressional inquiry to examine the use of federal funds in the states alleged incentives threat. Frankly, Congress is a more effective venue for publicly examining the now well-documented threat, King said.
Sounds like somewhat of a deal between UAW and VW to work on a works council type union and Congress to deal with Corker et ux through hearings.
socialist_n_TN
(11,481 posts)the signed cards.
I know that the UAW is a lapdog union, but I wouldn't think they would just give it up without a fight. Of course, that lack of fight was probably what lost the vote in the first place.
Union Scribe
(7,099 posts)The sooner he's gone the better.