Senator Corker Interview ON His UAW/VW Chattanooga Comments
Bob Corker: I'm a former mayor of Chattanooga. I recruited [Volkswagen] to our state. I was the first person to call their number, and two of the three meetings with them took place in my home in Chattanooga. I know [VW Chairman Martin] Winterkorn really really well. We're in constant contact with Volkswagen at every level. Seriously, I don't know a public official that's been more involved with Volkswagen, nor, candidly, more involved with the UAW.
So I just wanted to clarify one thing. Our concern is not with the works council and never has been, and Volkswagen knows that very well. U.S. labor relations and German relations are very different. There's some question as to how a works council can be set up in the U.S., and there are various opinions on both sides of the spectrum, one says you have to have a union, one says you don't. But we in no way have been negative relative to the works council. It's really been the fact that the UAW would be the implementing entity. We've even told Volkswagen that, 'why don't you guys create your own union within the plant, if you feel like that is something that is necessary to fully implement this in a way you see fit.' I will say that BMW has implemented its works council without the UAW.
LD: Why is the UAW so undesirable, in your eyes?
BC: I've just seen the effect that they've had on companies. I know these people personally. I know the person who's organizing the Chattanooga plant, I've watched him operate personally within the Spring Hill plant. I've seen the Spring Hill plant start stop, and fail, lay off, and start again and fail and lay off. And we have a plant right down the road, a Nissan facility that's been one of the best operators in the world, a few counties over in Tennessee.
Note: The General Motors plant at Spring Hill was idled in 2009, during the worst of the collapse, laying off some 2,000 workers. GM brought the facility back online in 2011 with new car lines, it's never experienced a strike, and it's been adding jobs since. Also, in 2007, Corker appeared much more sanguine about the plant's operations.
Continued at Link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/02/12/sen-bob-corker-cant-stand-the-united-auto-workers-an-annotated-interview/
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