Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Weekend Contributor
Last week, Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee “ramped up his anti-union rhetoric” in hopes of persuading workers at Volkswagen AG’s plant in Chattanooga to vote against representation by the United Auto Workers. According to Reuters, on February 12th, Corker said he had been “assured” that if workers at the Volkswagen plant in his hometown rejected representation by UAW, the company would “reward the plant with a new product to build.” Bernie Woodall of Reuters said that Corker dropped that “bombshell” on the “first of a three-day secret ballot election of blue-collar workers” at the Chattanooga plant. The most troubling part—as I see it—is that Corker’s claim actually ran “counter to public statements by Volkswagen…”
The following day, Corker said that he was “very certain that if the UAW is voted down,” the automaker would announce new investment in the plant “in the next couple weeks.” It seems Corker hadn’t heard—or chose to ignore—a statement made earlier by Frank Fischer, chief executive of VW Chattanooga, “that there was ‘no connection’ between the vote at its three-year-old Tennessee plant and a looming decision on whether VW will build a new crossover vehicle there or in Mexico.”
Volkswagen officials acknowledged “their desire for a works council, arguing that their model of labor-management relations serves them well in every other country in the world, except China.” Under U.S. law, however, the company would not be able to “set up a works council without first having its employees vote for a union.”
The UAW “was dealt a stinging defeat” when a majority of employees at the Chattanooga facility voted against joining the union “after a high-profile opposition campaign led by Republican politicians and outside political groups.” According to the Washington Post, the auto union’s loss “came in spite of an unprecedented level of support from the company being organized.” Fischer who had actually “encouraged the idea of starting a German-style ‘works council’ at the plant, like those in place at Volkswagen’s other factories'” apparently was “saddened by the outcome.”
Fisher speaking after the union vote (Washington Post):
“Our employees have not made a decision that they are against a works council. Throughout this process, we found great enthusiasm for the idea of an American-style works council both inside and outside our plant,” Fischer said, reading from a statement. “Our goal continues to be to determine the best method for establishing a works council in accordance with the requirements of U.S. labor law to meet VW America’s production needs and serve our employees’ interests.”
Gary Casteel, organizer for the UAW’s Southern Region, said, “Unfortunately, politically motivated third parties threatened the economic future of this facility and the opportunity for workers to create a successful operating model that would grow jobs in Tennessee.”
Casteel was making reference to anti-union remarks made by “Tennessee’s Republican lawmakers, who threatened to withhold tax incentives from Volkswagen if the workers unionized, and attention from D.C.-based activist Grover Norquist.” UAW officials said they noticed that workers began “to turn against the union as they started hearing ‘threats and intimidation’ against the company.”
It appears that the Chattanooga auto workers may have made a big mistake when they rejected UAW membership last week. According to Huffington Post, theirs is the only “Volkswagen plant worldwide without a formal mechanism for workers’ representation.”
Huffington Post:
The German “co-determination” model mandates works councils, which connect employees to management, at all large German companies. Following the union vote, the head of Volkswagen’s works council told German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung that the automaker would hesitate to expand in the U.S. South.
“I can imagine fairly well that another VW factory in the United States, provided that one more should still be set up there, does not necessarily have to be assigned to the South again,” said works council leader Bernd Osterloh.
“If co-determination isn’t guaranteed in the first place, we as workers will hardly be able to vote in favor” of building another plant in the right-to-work South, Osterloh added.
UAW chief says Bob Corker intimidated workers at Chattanooga Volkswagen plant
Now, thanks to Senator Bob Corker and others who spoke out against UAW representation for workers at the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant it looks like the company probably won’t be rewarding the facility with any “new product” manufacturing there…or anywhere else in the “right-to-work South.”
SOURCES
Turns Out Anti-Union Volkswagen Workers May Have Screwed Themselves And The South (Huffington Post)
As Volkswagen workers vote, Tennessee senator ramps up anti-union talk (Reuters)
VW workers may block southern U.S. deals if no unions: labor chief (Reuters)
U.S. senator drops bombshell during VW plant union vote (Reuters)
Auto union loses historic election at Volkswagen plant in Tennessee (Washington Post)
All eyes on Chattanooga: VW’s workers are deciding the future of unions in the South (Washington Post)
annie,
Exactly! They also buy the hearts and minds of some of the dumb schmucks who end up voting against their own best interests. Go figure.
I never did understand the concept of bringing people down, instead of being happy for the ones who are doing well. ESPECIALLY people in the middle class. I bet the Koch brothers are laughing their butts off that they get the poor dumb schmucks to fight each other, because it distracts them from the reality that they are being robbed blind by those who have so much already they don’t know how to spend it. Well maybe they do know how to spend their fortunes, they buy governments.
Military service is indeed public service. Working for the government as an attorney is a job. My wife was a Federal Probation Officer, that was her job. I will agree to “employed in the public sector.” But, to each their own. You can call it “Doing the Lord’s Work” or “Jetti Warrior” if you wish.
Swarthmoremom, my daughter is an attorney also and a public servant. Wisconsin is lucky to have her. There are so many good people who work for government, so much of the haters are simply jealous. My other daughter is in the service of the US, she serves in the Navy and yes she gets paid also.
I’m certain she’s a fine person. She did get compensated for her public service, didn’t she? That term “public service” is a stroke of genius worthy of Frank Luntz. I worked for the Federal and County government. I considered those jobs, like jobs in the “private service.” When I was a VISTA volunteer, I considered that “public service.”
My friend is a highly qualified attorney that has dedicated her entire life to public service.
http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/2011/03/on-wisconsin.html
This one is an especially vicious thug.
Here is a picture of one of those thugs.
http://cognidissidence.blogspot.com/2013/08/escape-to-wisconsin.html
I’ll take you @ your word.
One of my best friends was at the state capitol in Madison for the protest that day. She is anything but a “thug”.
The only “hostile takeover” was the State Capitol Building by a bunch of thug government unionists. And, they lost, TWICE! Get over it. Look forward you progressives.
Bron,
I was just making a point. An organization that is known for being anti-union wrote an article that is negative about unions.
Elaine:
What is wrong with quoting them? Your posts are partisan as well.
hskiprob
Now we’re debating the difference between public and private collective bargaining. My understanding is that public employees work for the monopoly of government.
*****
What monopoly? There is the federal government–and there are also state governments and local governments. All state governments aren’t the same. That is also true of local governments. I worked as a teacher for a town in Massachusetts. My town had a different teachers’ contract and different salary scale from the other communities in my state.
Yes, exactly like a hostile takeover of the state of Wisconsin.
annie,
Battleground Wisconsin – Corporate
Power Vs Worker Rights
By Stephen Lendman
3-11-11
http://rense.com/general93/battlev.htm
Excerpt:
The issue in Wisconsin and across America is simple and straightforward – a corporate-financed offensive to crush unions, returning workers to 19th century harshness with no rights whatever.
As a result, well-funded union busting organizations want collective bargaining rights abolished, social benefits ended, wages kept low as possible, and corporations allowed to exploit workers freely, unimpeded by legal protections and rights.
A previous article discussed right-wing think tanks infesting America’s landscape, accessed through the following link:
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2011/03/waging-war-on-working-americans.html
Generously funded, they include the Koch Family Foundations (established by David, Charles and Claude R. Lambe), several Scaife ones, John M. Olin Foundation, Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Smith Richardson Foundation, various others, and George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, pretending to be liberal, when, in fact, he supports everything smelling money.
Their agenda includes marketplace sovereignty, deregulation, privatization of government services, ending popular entitlements, social spending, and affirmative action, prioritizing business friendly policies, waging class war, controlling electoral politics and supportive media backing everything on their wish list.
Among many others, their beneficiaries include the American Enterprise Institute, Cato Institute, Federalist Society, Heritage Foundation, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, and Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace, founded in 1919 by Herbert Hoover, best known for inaction while America sank into depression while he was president.
Less known ones include:
American Crossroads
Founded by Karl Rove, it’s “dedicated to renewing America’s commitment to individual liberty, limited government, free enterprise, and a strong national defense,” entirely benefitting business at the expense of workers.
Americans for Job Security
An anti-labor insurance industry front group backing unrestricted free enterprise, tax cuts for the rich, job-killing trade agreements, and worker rights ended for greater profits.
The Club for Growth
A neofascist organization wanting Medicare and Medicaid abolished, Social Security privatized, unions eliminated, and business given unimpeded power to plunder and exploit freely.
Americans for Prosperity
A virulently anti-labor group backing all of the above and more, including the right to destroy US jobs by offshoring them freely to the world’s lowest wage locations.
Freedom Works
Led by former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey, it conducts aggressive campaigns against worker rights nationally.
Center for Union Facts
Led by pro-business lobbyist Richard Berman, it focuses on anti-union propaganda, destroying worker rights, obstructing organizing efforts, and promoting other anti-union initiatives.
National Right to Work Foundation and Committee
America’s oldest anti-union organization, it bogusly claims pro-worker credentials. In fact, it’s extremely hostile to high wages, essential benefits, job safety, and favorable working conditions, considered impediments to profits.
Public Service Research Foundation and Public Service Research Council
Composed of small organizations nationwide, they oppose collective bargaining rights for teachers and other public sector workers. In 1981, PSRF led the campaign to fire PATCO strikers, a watershed event weakening organized labor overall.
For-Profit Unionbusters
Describing themselves as “union avoidance firms,” “management consultants,” or “labor consultants,” they use lawyers and other credentialed professionals to manipulate labor laws to subvert organizing efforts and worker rights overall.
These and other groups have full-time staffs, lawyers, and other credentialed professionals conducting media campaigns, seminars, workshops, lobbying efforts, and other initiatives to subvert organized labor for business. Nothing unethical is avoided to accomplish ends they’ll go to any extreme to achieve, within or outside the law they freely exploit advantageously, flush with cash to do it.
Annually, they spend tens of millions of dollars for anti-union initiatives, allied with the US Chamber of Commerce – “the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.”
Although most of its members are small enterprises, it overwhelmingly represents giant ones and their campaign for unimpeded free enterprise at the expense of worker rights and small competitors. As a result, it spends millions of dollars annually opposing them.
annie,
All one had to do was to follow the money to find out who was funding the anti-union groups and voices in Wisconsin.
Bron,
Public Service Research Foundation is an anti-union organization.
Public Service Research Foundation and Public Service Research Council
Composed of small organizations nationwide, they oppose collective bargaining rights for teachers and other public sector workers. In 1981, PSRF led the campaign to fire PATCO strikers, a watershed event weakening organized labor overall.
http://rense.com/general93/battlev.htm
Now we’re debating the difference between public and private collective bargaining. My understanding is that public employees work for the monopoly of government. If I choose to fire my government employee or garage collector, which other company can I hire to replace them? Public unions have the public held hostage by their ability to go on strike. If I’m a private company, I at least can try to hire scabs to replace those workers on strike. What do we do in a public situation, fire everyone as Reagan did with the air traffic controllers? Because of the above, I’m in favor of unions who operate in the private sector but believe public unions should not exist nor should public employees be allowed to go on strike. What if the taxpayers decided to go on strike, how would the public employees feel about that?
Elaine, what shocked me most in the Wisconsin protests was the demonization of public employees, the phrase “feeding at the trough” was heard often coming from anti union, pro Walker types. I have several Milwaukee Public School teacher friends and aquaintences who are dedicated and extremely hard working. It’s almost as if these anti union people expected public employees to work for free. If one works eigh hours , one gets paid for eight hours. Firefighters and teachers were very much maligned. Police actually were exempted from Walker’s anti union law.
DO UNIONS HELP THE ECONOMY?
THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF LABOR UNIONS REVISITED
Richard K. Vedder, Ph.D. & Lowell E. Gallaway, Ph.D.
Using a variety of statistical techniques, we conclude that labor unions have reduced U.S. output by significant amounts – trillions of dollars over time. Additionally, the employment-population ratio and the unemployment rate have been adversely affected by the presence of unions. From the very beginning, unionization materially lowered employment in the auto and steel industries, and union militancy in coal mining has contributed importantly to largely eliminating employment in this once large industry. While some individual workers have profited from unions, the aggregate economic impact is strongly negative.
http://www.psrf.org/gur/gur20.4vedder.jsp