DETROIT (AP/WMOT) — The United Auto Workers says employees at Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant will vote beginning Feb. 12 on whether they want the union to represent them.
The vote follows an agreement between the UAW and the German automaker, which decided not to challenge a unionization vote.
If union representation is approved, employees from the Chattanooga plant would be able to join what the German automaker calls its Global Work’s Council, which has input into company decisions.
Chattanooga plant worker John Wright endorsed the idea in a pro-union video.
“I think for us to be a member of the Global Works Council would be a great thing, because then the needs of Chattanoog, and the employees here at Chattanooga would be represented on a global scale, verses just here in the United States.”
But the state’s GOP leadership, from Governor Haslam on down, strongly oppose unionization of the plant, saying it will adversely affect Tennessee’s ability to attract new jobs. Brent Leatherwood is Executive Director of the Tennessee Republican Party.
“In Tennessee we’ve got a really good formula that Governor Haslam and Republicans have put into place that have led us to the top 5 states in job growth. We were just recently named the state of the year for economic development. I think what folks have concern about is the UAW coming in and disrupting that progress that we’ve seen.”
The National Labor Relations Board will administer the secret ballot election.