UAW certified to represent more than 45% of VW workers
DETROIT — The UAW has been officially certified as the representative of more than 45% of Volkswagen's workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., giving the union the ability to discuss a broad range of workplace issues with the German automaker under a new labor policy unveiled last month.
It is a big win for the UAW because it is a strong foothold in a foreign-owned southern plant. The union has a history of failed attempts to become the certified bargaining union in such a plant.
"As anticipated, we surpassed the highest level under Volkswagen's new Community Organization Engagement policy, and the local leadership is ready to move forward with additional conversations with the company," UAW Secretary-Treasurer Gary Casteel said in a statement.
While certification at that level doesn't yet allow the UAW to serve as the exclusive bargaining agent for Volkswagen's 1,500 hourly workers, it does take the union a step closer to achieving that goal. The UAW also reiterated Monday that it believes Volkswagen made promises earlier this year to recognize the union as the only labor union representing the automaker's workers.
"In the initial conversations, the local union will remind (Volkswagen) human resources and the Chattanooga Executive Committee of the mutually agreed-upon commitments that were made by Volkswagen and the UAW last spring in Germany," Casteel said. "Among those commitments: Volkswagen will recognize the UAW as the representative of our members."
Volkswagen said Monday the union's membership list was verified by an outside accounting firm. Both Volkswagen and the UAW declined to disclose the exact percentage of employees that have joined the union.
If the UAW represented more than 50% of Volkswagen's workers it could ask the automaker for recognition as the exclusive bargaining agent. Still, under Volkswagen's new labor policy, the UAW will be able to meet with Volkswagen's management team on a regular basis without being the exclusive bargaining agent.
When the UAW lost the Volkswagen election in February its leaders said inappropriate interference by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Sen. Bob Corker and state legislators affected the outcome of the election. State legislators threatened to cancel incentives that were promised to Volkswagen if a majority of workers voted in favor of UAW representation.
In July, the union opened UAW Local 42 — its local chapter in Chattanooga — and invited Volkswagen workers to join the union even though a neutrality agreement barred the union from any organizing activity for a year. Volkswagen did not accuse the UAW of breaking the contract — a sign, critics say, that Volkswagen favors UAW representation.
Last month, Volkswagen unveiled a labor policy for the plant called "Community Organization Engagement," that allows any union that can prove it represents at least 15% of the carmaker's workers the ability to meet with management on a regular basis and represent workers.