VW plant’s ‘works council’ stirs GOP unrest in Tennessee

[n2doc]

By ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Top Volkswagen officials are trying to quell fears among Tennessee politicians about efforts to work with a union to create a German-style works council at the automaker’s lone U.S. plant in Chattanooga.

So far the GOP leaders remain unconvinced.

Labor representatives, who make up half of the Wolfsburg, Germany-based automaker’s supervisory board, have pressured VW management to enter discussions with the United Auto Workers about representing workers at the plant because U.S. law would require a works council to be created through an established union.

Bernd Osterloh, the head of the Volkswagen’s global works council and a member of the company’s supervisory board, was among a delegation of company leaders who visited the plant Thursday and later met with Gov. Bill Haslam and fellow Republican U.S. Sen. Bob Corker in Nashville.

In his only U.S. interview, Osterloh told The Associated Press that the pending decision about union representation for workers at the automaker’s lone U.S. plant will have no bearing on whether the company will decide to add the production of a new SUV in Tennessee or in Mexico.



http://www.gazettenet.com/businessmoney/consumernews/9352259-95/vw-plants-works-council-stirs-gop-unrest-in-tennessee

Gee, I thought the repubs were all for letting "Businesses be free to do what they want, free of government interference"

[woodsprite]

1. For it, unless it benefits the workers. n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Would be interesting if they "outsourced"

the plant to a union-friendly state (see GE and their move to Texas from Erie, PA for this "principle" in reverse).

Sad that the average worker becomes the pawn in any case.