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VW Employees Begin Controversial Unionization Vote

uaw.org

 

 

DETROIT (AP/WMOT) — The 1500 workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga begin voting today on whether or not to choose the United Auto Workers Union to represent them.

If the UAW does gain access to the plant, the German facility will be the first foreign care builder in the American south to have union representation.

Controversy has swirled around this week’s vote for months, with the entire leadership of Tennessee’s Republican leadership, from the governor on down, strongly urging plant workers to reject union representation.

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.”

Plant employee Michael Cantrell has a different view of union representation. The paint department worker says he plans to vote in favor of the UAW.

“Job security is probably number one for me. We live in a ‘Right to Work’ state, and as you know, we can be let go with or without cause at any time.”

The federal National Labor Relations Board will administer the secret ballot election which will continue through Friday.