UAW wants new talks with Volkswagen to recognize union in Tennessee

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - The United Auto Workers said on Thursday it wants to enter new talks with Volkswagen AG VOWG-p.DE about recognizing the union as collective bargaining agent for workers at the VW plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

UAW Secretary-Treasurer Gary Casteel said the union made a renewed pitch to the German auto group after a recent filing with U.S. labor officials showed it is supported by 55 percent of hourly workers at the plant.

The UAW wants to form a German-style works council that would include both blue-collar and white-collar workers. Casteel said Chattanooga is the only VW plant without such a works council.

In order to form the council, under U.S. labor law, the plant's hourly workers must be represented by a U.S. union with bargaining rights, in order that it not be perceived as a company union.

FULL story at link.

http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20150507&t=2&i=1046547313&w=644&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=LYNXMPEB460Z2

A general view of the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga,Tennessee February 14, 2014.
REUTERS/CHRISTOPHER ALUKA BERRY

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/07/us-volkswagen-uaw-idUSKBN0NS26L20150507

[okaawhatever]

1. Great news. nt

[wolfie001]

2. Good! And good luck to 'em! nt

[Indydem]

3. Th workers just had a vote.

They rejected the UAW 53.2% to 48.8%.

Why is the UAW trying so hard to represent people who just told them to fuck off?

[awoke_in_2003]

4. The workers voted against it...

because local politicians (illegally) interfered in the process, saying basically that if they were unionized then future expansion projects might not be allowed. The politicians intimidated the workers by making them fear for their jobs.