Tennessee Volkswagen plant votes against union

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In 2010, Germany produced more than 5.5 million automobiles; the U.S produced 2.7 million. At the same time, the average auto worker in Germany made $67.14 per hour in salary in benefits; the average one in the U.S. made $33.77 per hour. Yet Germany’s big three car companies—BMW, DaimlerDaimler (Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz), and Volkswagen—are very profitable.​

VW Workers at Tennessee Plant Reject Union - ABC News

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.
February 14, 2014 (AP

By ERIK SCHELZIG and TOM KRISHER Associated Press

Workers at a Volkswagen factory in Tennessee have voted against union representation, a devastating loss that derails the United Auto Workers union's effort to organize Southern factories.

The 712-626 vote released late Friday stunned many labor experts who expected a UAW win because Volkswagen tacitly endorsed the union and even allowed organizers into the Chattanooga factory to make sales pitches.

The UAW for decades has tried without success to organize a foreign-owned plant in a region that's wary of organized labor. The loss now makes it even harder for the union to recruit members at another Southern factory.

"If they can't win this one, what can they win?" asked Art Schwartz, a former General Motors labor negotiator who now is a consultant in Ann Arbor, Mich.

UAW President Bob King, in a 2011 speech to workers, said the union has no long-term future if it can't organize the Southern plants.

King, however, stuck to statements he made earlier that the union would seek a vote and respect any decision made by workers.

"While we certainly would have liked a victory for workers here, we deeply respect the Volkswagen Global Group Works Council, Volkswagen management and IG Metall for doing their best to create a free and open atmosphere for workers to exercise their basic human right to form a union," King said in a statement.
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[Mr. H.]

Let them move to Germany and work.

 

[OriginalShroom]

Bye Bye Unions..

Working People are tired of having you take their money to give to Democrats so they can take even more of their money to give to Union Leaders and to those that don't want to work.

 

[HenryBHough]

Would be interesting to see some polling of the workers that might shed some light on what, IF ANY, part Obamcare mandated changes had on the decision.

 

[Zander]

I have never had a problem with private sector unions.

The Public sector unions need to go.

 

[waltky]

Volkswagen refuses collective bargaining for Tennessee plant...

UAW says Volkswagen refuses collective bargaining for Tennessee workers
Tue Dec 22, 2015 - The United Auto Workers union has filed charges against Volkswagen AG, claiming the company is refusing to enter into collective bargaining for a portion of workers at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, factory, the union said on Tuesday.

The charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board on Monday. On Dec. 4, more than 70 percent of the 161 skilled trades workers at the VW plant voted to join the UAW. There are about 1,450 auto assembly workers at the plant. The outcome was seen as important for the union because it was the first time workers at an auto assembly plant in the southern U.S. owned by a foreign automaker voted to join the UAW.

The Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee​

VW fought against the election and filed with the NLRB to try to stop it. The company said it does not want a portion of its auto assembly workers to be represented while others are not. "Volkswagen has refused to come to the bargaining table in violation of federal law," said Gary Casteel, UAW secretary-treasurer. "By refusing to engage in collective bargaining after a successful election, Volkswagen is not only doing a disservice to its employees but now is thumbing its nose at the federal government as well."

VW officials were not available for comment on Tuesday. The UAW lost a close election of all of the plant's hourly auto assembly workers in February 2014. The union said the result was tainted by outside interference from anti-union lobbying groups and politicians.

UAW says Volkswagen refuses collective bargaining for Tennessee workers

 

[Wyatt earp]

Volkswagen refuses collective bargaining for Tennessee plant...

UAW says Volkswagen refuses collective bargaining for Tennessee workers
Tue Dec 22, 2015 - The United Auto Workers union has filed charges against Volkswagen AG, claiming the company is refusing to enter into collective bargaining for a portion of workers at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, factory, the union said on Tuesday.

The charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board on Monday. On Dec. 4, more than 70 percent of the 161 skilled trades workers at the VW plant voted to join the UAW. There are about 1,450 auto assembly workers at the plant. The outcome was seen as important for the union because it was the first time workers at an auto assembly plant in the southern U.S. owned by a foreign automaker voted to join the UAW.

The Volkswagen Chattanooga Assembly Plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee​

VW fought against the election and filed with the NLRB to try to stop it. The company said it does not want a portion of its auto assembly workers to be represented while others are not. "Volkswagen has refused to come to the bargaining table in violation of federal law," said Gary Casteel, UAW secretary-treasurer. "By refusing to engage in collective bargaining after a successful election, Volkswagen is not only doing a disservice to its employees but now is thumbing its nose at the federal government as well."

VW officials were not available for comment on Tuesday. The UAW lost a close election of all of the plant's hourly auto assembly workers in February 2014. The union said the result was tainted by outside interference from anti-union lobbying groups and politicians.

UAW says Volkswagen refuses collective bargaining for Tennessee workers

Don't blame the company, which I know you are trying to do, VW wants the entire hourly workers in a union not a select few.

 

[waltky]

Wanna sell yer VW back to VW?

Volkswagen deal gives some diesel car owners buyback option
December 20, 2016) -- Volkswagen reached a deal that will give at least some owners of the remaining 80,000 diesel vehicles caught in the company's emissions cheating scandal the option of a buyback and provide compensation to all of them on top of any repurchase or repairs, U.S. regulators and a federal judge said Tuesday.

The $1 billion settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will give owners of 20,000 3-liter diesel cars the choice of a buyback. The figure does not include additional payments to owners. Volkswagen believes it can bring the other 60,000 vehicles into compliance with pollution regulations and will not offer a buyback if that's the case, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said in San Francisco. The deal includes $225 million the German automaker will contribute to an environmental fund to offset the cars' excess pollution, Cynthia Giles of the EPA said in a conference call with reporters. Additional compensation for car owners will be substantial, according to the judge, but he did not provide a figure and said the sides still had more work to do. "I am optimistic the parties will resolve the remaining issues," Breyer said, without elaborating on what was left to be done.

The settlement was a major step toward rectifying lawsuits stemming from the global scandal that erupted last year, damaging Volkswagen's reputation and hurting its sales. The company previously reached a nearly $15 billion deal for 475,000 2-liter diesel cars also programmed to cheat on emissions tests. Hinrich J. Woebcken, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America Inc., said the agreement announced Tuesday was part of Volkswagen's "efforts to make things right" for its customers. "We are committed to earning back the trust of all our stakeholders and thank our customers and dealers in the United States for their patience as the process moves forward," he said in a statement. The deal protects the environment "by removing the cars from road and by offsetting harmful emissions that resulted from their cheating," said Giles with the EPA.

It requires the company to buy back or terminate leases on 2009-2012 Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7 diesels. The EPA says it's unlikely those can be fixed to meet clean-air standards. For newer 3-liter vehicles — such as the 2013-2016 Volkswagen Touareg, 2013-2015 Audi Q7, 2013-2016 Porsche Cayenne, and 2014-2016 Audi A6 quattro, A7 quattro, A8, A8L and Q5 — a fix is possible, so buybacks won't be offered. Giles said the fix should be submitted soon. The new settlement appears to mirror the terms for the cars with smaller engines. The previous deal gives 2-liter owners the option to have the automaker buy back their vehicle or pay for repairs. Volkswagen also will pay those owners $5,100 to $10,000 each.

The company has agreed to spend up to $10 billion compensating those consumers. That settlement also includes $2.7 billion for unspecified environmental mitigation and $2 billion to promote zero-emissions vehicles. The settlements emerged out of lawsuits from car owners and the U.S. Department of Justice after the EPA said Volkswagen had fitted many of its cars with software to fool emissions tests. The software recognized when the cars were being tested on a treadmill and turned on pollution controls. The controls were turned off when the cars returned to the road. The EPA alleged the scheme let the cars spew up to 40 times the allowable limit of nitrogen oxide, which can cause respiratory problems in humans. The company has reached a separate $1.2 billion deal with its U.S. dealers and is still facing potentially billions more in fines and penalties and possible criminal charges.

Volkswagen deal gives some diesel car owners buyback option