Union withdraws Volkswagen vote appeal

CHATTANOOGA — The UAW is withdrawing objections filed with the National Labor Relations Board regarding February's vote at the Volkswagen plant here, effectively terminating a government review process, the union said Monday.

President Bob King of the United Auto Workers said the decision was made in the best interests of Volkswagen employees, the automaker and economic development in Chattanooga, according to a release on the UAW's website.

The union based its decision on the belief that the National Labor Relations Board process potentially could drag on for months or even years, King said. Additionally, the UAW cited the refusal of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam's and Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., to participate in a transparent legal discovery process.

"The unprecedented political interference by Governor Haslam, Senator Corker and others was a distraction for Volkswagen employees and a detour from achieving Tennessee's economic priorities," King said. "The UAW is ready to put February's tainted election in the rearview mirror and instead focus on advocating for new jobs and economic investment in Chattanooga."

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UAW Region 8 Director Gary Casteel, who directs the union's Southern region, echoed that the UAW's focus is advocating for Volkswagen to create more jobs in Tennessee by adding a new sport-utility vehicle line at the Chattanooga plant. The Haslam administration in August offered nearly $300 million in incentives to bring the new SUV to Chattanooga but attempted to make the investment contingent on ensuring that Chattanooga plant had no union.

The Haslam administration's contingency is contrary to Volkswagen's successful business model, which is premised on worker representation.

"The UAW wants to help create quality jobs and build world-class products for American consumers," Casteel said. "With this in mind, we urge Governor Haslam to immediately ex! tend the incentives that previously were offered to Volkswagen for this new SUV line, and do so unconditionally."

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The UAW has accomplished a major goal with its election objections, King said.

"The UAW's objections informed the public about the unprecedented interference by anti-labor politicians and third parties who want to prevent workers from exercising their democratic right to choose union representation," he said.

Outdated federal laws governing the NLRB never contemplated the level of extreme intimidation and interference that occurred in Chattanooga, King said. Even if the government ordered a new election — the board's only available remedy under current law — nothing would stop politicians and anti-union organizations from interfering again.

UAW officials said they believe that a congressional inquiry into the Haslam administration's incentives threat to Volkswagen provides the best opportunity for additional scrutiny. The union will ask Congress to examine the use of federal money in the state's incentives threat.

"Frankly, Congress is a more effective venue for publicly examining the now well-documented threat," King said. "We commend Congressmen George Miller and John Tierney for their leadership on this matter, and look forward to seeing the results of their inquiry."