Volkswagen to appeal to the US court on union representation

Volkswagen has decided to appeal to the US court with an aim to hold 160 employees at Tennessee factory from United Auto Workers union. The union has filed a litigation with the National Labour Relations Board, accusing the automaker of refusing to compromise with the 160 workers who opted to remain in the union.

The skilled employees represent a segment of nearly 1,500 hourly workers in the Tennessee plant. The company's negotiating move with these workers could fuel the union's determination to manage other foreign-run factories in the South. After decades of effort, the union has not set a foreign-controlled factory in the region.

The union cited an example of a previous correspondent case, in which the court sided in favour of the workers. In addition, the UAW noted that the company's approach will not work. Meanwhile, the automaker stated that it is against the idea of the division with regard to representation. Volkswagen also said that it will resolve the matter with the help of the federal court of appeals. But the company did not say about the date of the filing, or to which law court it would appeal. Tennessee falls to the district appeals court that comprises Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan.

Reuters cited a company-side labour lawyer Dennis Cuneo, who said that the division of workforce by representation adds to the complication involved in administrating an auto assembly factory. However, the union overruled Volkswagen's statement that compromising with the skilled workers would disintegrate Chattanooga's labour force.

The automaker that was backing the union hardly two years before has changed its approach after the emission leaks, which led to alterations in the senior administration team. Currently, the company is attempting to halt the union activities inside the plant. The change in approach highlights the company's withdrawal from its efforts to imitate the German version of worker relations, The New York Times reported.

In response to the automaker's idea to appeal in the court, Gary Casteel, treasurer and secretary of the union, said, "At a time when Volkswagen already has run afoul of the federal and state governments in the emissions-cheating scandal, we're disappointed that the company now is choosing to thumb its nose at the federal government over U.S. labour law."

THE TENNESSEAN reported that Governor Bill Haslam has asked the union to wait until the company settles the prevailing emission leaks scandal before moving into further unionisation approach. But, a spokeswoman of Haslam denied responding immediately to the issue.

The union, which claimed to have major dominance among the workers at the Chattanooga factory, did not demand for a second election. Moreover, the union argued that the February 2014 election, in which it scarcely lost to the company, was unlawfully influenced by politicians and anti-union teams in Tennessee.

Tags

Volkswagen, automaker, United Auto Workers union, National Labour Relations Board, Tennessee plant, Court of Appeal

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