|
 Corker's bombshell, which runs counter to public statements by
Volkswagen, was dropped on the first of a three-day secret ballot
election of blue-collar workers at the Chattanooga plant whether to
allow the UAW to represent them.
Corker has long been an opponent of the union which he says hurts
economic and job growth in Tennessee, a charge that UAW officials
say is untrue.
"I've had conversations today and based on those am assured that
should the workers vote against the UAW, Volkswagen will announce in
the coming weeks that it will manufacture its new mid-size SUV here
in Chattanooga," said Corker, without saying with whom he had the
conversations.
In the past few weeks, Volkswagen officials have made several
statements that the vote will have no bearing on whether the SUV
will be made at the Chattanooga plant or at a plant in Puebla,
Mexico.
National Labor Relations Board expert Kenneth G. Dau-Schmidt, who is
professor of labor at the University of Indiana-Bloomington, said
Corker was trying to intimidate workers into voting against the
union.
"I'm really kind of shocked at Corker's statement," said
Dau-Schmidt. "It's so inconsistent with what VW has been saying and
VW's labor relations policy in general."
The Indiana professor also said Corker's comments "would be grounds
to set the election aside and have to run it all over again at a
later date" because it could be ruled to be interfering to the point
that it is against federal labor law.
A spokeswoman for Corker did not respond when asked whether the
senator also meant that a vote for the UAW would mean that the plant
would not get the new product, which could create an estimated 1,500
new jobs.
Volkswagen officials did not return calls and emails for comment on
Corker's statement.
Mike Burton of Southern Momentum, an anti-UAW group of plant
workers, said Corker's statement makes sense.
"We are in a battle with Mexico on where this new product goes,"
said Burton, "and it stands to reason that the union will add costs.
We need to keep costs down to fight for that new product."
Another labor expert, Harley Shaiken of the University of
California-Berkeley, said, "The senator's comments amount to
economic intimidation that undermines the whole nature of union
representation elections."
[to top of second column] |
Shaiken often advises UAW officials.
"If the senator's statement doesn't violate the letter of the law,
it certainly violates the spirit of the law," Shaiken said.
UAW REACTION
Gary Casteel, UAW regional director for a 12-state area that
includes Tennessee, said on Wednesday night, "Corker's statement is
in direct contradiction to Volkswagen's statements.
"They have specifically said that this vote will have no bearing on
the decision of where to place the new product."
In the past, Casteel has said that Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant,
opened in 2011, needs a second product to survive. It has built the
compact Passat sedan since it opened.
The plant has about 1,550 Volkswagen workers eligible to vote in the
election, which is supervised by the National Labor Relations Board.
Pro- and anti-UAW workers said they were not sure if snowy weather
will affect turnout for the vote, which ends on Friday when the
plant does not produce cars.
On Wednesday — day one of the vote — the night shift was canceled
after only one car was produced because snow prevented workers
reaching the plant, said two VW employees who wished to remain
anonymous.
A source familiar with the plans of the Volkswagen supervisory board
which makes decisions on product placement said that the board has
not yet made a decision on the issue, and that it will take it up in
a meeting on February 22.
Corker on Tuesday returned from Washington to hold a Tuesday press
conference at his downtown Chattanooga Senate office in order to
speak against the UAW in time for the worker vote at the plant.
(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; editing by Christopher Cushing)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
