Tennessee Volkswagen plant rejects unionization

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 8:35 am CDT, Saturday, June 15, 2019

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Workers at Volkswagen's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted Friday night against forming a factory-wide union, handing a setback to the United Auto Workers' efforts to gain a foothold among foreign auto facilities in the South.

The vote of hourly workers began Wednesday and concluded Friday. Preliminary results show 833 employees voted against representation and 776 voted for it, the German automaker said in a statement. VW said about 93% of the roughly 1,700 eligible employees voted.

"Our employees have spoken," Frank Fischer, president and CEO of Volkswagen Chattanooga, said in the company statement.

He said results are pending certification by the National Labor Relations Board and legal review. Fischer said the company looks forward to "continuing our close cooperation with elected officials and business leaders in Tennessee."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Tennessee-Volkswagen-plant-to-finish-union-vote-13995561.php

[LonePirate]

1. Stupidity runs deep in red states.

[Left-over]

15. Especially in Tennessee.

[OrlandoDem2]

2. 833 idiots.

[Sherman A1]

14. Agreed

But, the vote took place and is done now.

[comradebillyboy]

3. Perhaps Democrats shouldn't overestimate worker's

desire to unionize. I say this as a former union member.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. I would say this result is more reflective of the UAW's lackluster tactics than worker interest.

[Odoreida]

17. Exactly.

The principle of being unionized has not really been presented.

Not your daddy's UAW.

[Turin_C3PO]

12. This happened because it was the South.

An area of historic anti-unionism. I wouldn’t take away anything more than that from this episode.

[Hoyt]

4. Similar results to 2014 vote. Supposedly, in 2014, VW & German unions encouraged unionization in Tn.

But, the Tennessee Governor and others were against it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. From what I understand, it wasn't an effective organizing campaign.

It didn't loop in community support or look for ways to leverage parts suppliers, and generally didn't escalate when the company put the pressure on. The UAW gambled that it would get a quick election, didn't, and didn't have a plan to sustain energy and momentum over the long haul.

[yaesu]

7. as of 2010, German auto workers were paid twice as much as US auto workers

workers in the south love their right to get paid less.

[former9thward]

20. What about auto workers in the north?

They are part of "US auto workers". They must be getting half the Germans also.

[LanternWaste]

23. It does not follow.

But I'd guess truthfulness would determine how quickly you seek out the easily accessible information you question.






Still haven't looked for it yet, eh?

[Aristus]

8. And the mystery as to why the South continues to lag behind the rest of the country

is almost every conceivable index goes on......

[kimbutgar]

9. Education

Poor education. 30 years of shortchanging education funding.

[Sherman A1]

10. Yup

“They” save money all along the way by underfunded education.

[JI7]

11. they lean right wing so when the church guy tells them to give to him instead of union

they do.

[beachbum bob]

16. home schooling, church schooling and the fear of all things unknown all for starters

we can safely say its in the South's blood

[Duppers]

13. Again! The big $ and Repub governor is behind this.

[Honeycombe8]

18. I never understand votes like this.

Even if the company is currently being very fair or even generous, unionizing protects them in the future. I suppose they view it as disloyal to the company.

Wait until they're laid off right before they qualify for a pension, or after they get cancer. They'll see that loyalty often runs only one way.

[VarryOn]

21. One or two times per year, I have to go to training...

At my company onavoiding unionization. I am a midlevel manager at a trucking company with various fleets around the contry. They range anywhere from 10 drivers to 200 or so. There are always fleets being targeted by the Teamsters.

We've had numerous elections ovee the years and never had a union win. Usually the votes arent even close. The closest I remember waslike 60/40.

I'd say one of the biggest problems for the union is the election is stirred up my an FNG (f'ing new guy). Basically, a driver can get hired very easily. So, the Teamsters will send in 2 or 3 guys to apply. Naturally, they get hired and within 2 or 3 months, they go to work, initiating the process. Many of our drivers have been with us for years, and they know the game. In most cases, management doesnt have to do much to defeat the union.

We pay our drivers well, and to be honest, we're good to them on everything else. Therefore, the drivers dont feel they need to insert a third party between themselves and management.

The companies that get unionized usually deserve it.

[Honeycombe8]

22. Interesting. But...that good company will fire you in an instant, if they can make a profit.

I'm retired now, but was an employee for decades. I went through several layoffs (I wasn't laid off), and saw it all in a somewhat sizable company.

Employees sometimes get to feeling about the company as if it were a family member. They are fairly loyal, even very loyal. The company is good and treats its employees well. Until it doesn't. Employees are employees. They exist to help the company make money. If a company can make a nickel by firing an employee, it will. The manager may feel bad about it. But feelings are worth what they cost.

I've seen companies fire people when they have cancer, just broke a hip, or whose spouse just got seriously ill. Layoffs are good times to get rid of baggage like people who will miss work because they have cancer. It's also a good time to get rid of the more highly paid workers. Of course, they get rid of dead weight, too, and properly so. But they use the layoffs to get rid of employees who are costing them too much, since they have a good reason.

Companies, in the end, aren't loyal to employees. They view the employee's reward for his loyalty and performance is his paycheck. Debt paid.

If a company is good to its employees, then it doesn't hurt anything, or change anything, to start a union. It's sad that they don't see that. Many will, in the end. When they're fired or laid off at 60 years old and can't get another job. And don't have insurance. Sad.

But I'm out of the rat race, now. Thank goodness.

[MichMan]

19. The ongoing UAW corruption investigation probably didnt help

Several high ranking officials have already been convicted with more to come

[RobinA]

24. See, This Is Why

I can't join many pundits in blaming Trump's election on the Democratic Party for not "addressing the problems of real people." Here's help for "real people" that doesn't require any political affiliation, doesn't come via any candidate, doesn't bring in any hot button identity issues, but they send the help packing anyway. Hopeless. At least it was close.