UAW, IG Metall Working To Jointly Organize Chattanooga VW Plant

by Derek Kreindler

Published: September 29th, 2014

uaw ig metall working to jointly organize chattanooga vw plant

While former EICs Schmitt and Niedermeyer documented the increasing co-operation between the UAW and IG Metall, recent developments have taken the relationship to new twists and turns. First there was the appointment of IG Metall bigwig Bernd Osterloh to VW of America’s board of directors. Now, Reuters is reporting that the two unions, along with the VW global works council, have signed a letter of intent to represent VW workers at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant.

Since the UAW lost a 2013 vote to represent the plant’s workers, various machinations have occurred. A “voluntary” union local was established by the UAW in an attempt to organize the plant’s labor force, only to be met with another outfit that was distinguished by its anti-UAW stance.

Despite the “voluntary” nature of the UAW’s Local 42 (as its known), the bargaining unit could be recognized by VW if a majority of workers decide to join it. This would be a major coup for the UAW, which is desperate to make headway in organizing a foreign plant, as well as IG Metall, which would further solidify its influence in Volkswagen Group affairs, after causing a stink at the massive Wolfsburg assembly plant, where VW is experiencing labor unrest amid a bumpy rollout for its new MQB based cars.

Osterloh’s appointment to the VWoA board and the organization of Chattanooga workers under the auspices of the UAW may simply be the price that Chattanooga has to pay for getting the new 7-seat VW crossover. VW, ever careful not to piss off IG Metall, has never adopted an anti-UAW stance despite insider reports claiming that unionization was not a desired outcome. But in the spirit of “ Solidarity Forever“, IG Metall appears to determined to bring their UAW brothers into the plant, even if they have to let them in via the side door.

#Chattanooga #IGMetall #Labor #Uaw #Volkswagen #VW

Derek Kreindler

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Malikknows on Sep 30, 2014

This American thinks it was a perfect choice in this case. As the caption implies, the Left cares not one whit for democracy, when it fails them they will use other means to achieve their goals. Just read a bit of Saul Alinsky. There are few examples of failure in social policy as stark as that of unionization and the auto industry, yet the collectivists are undeterred. Yes, we do have distributive justice issues in the USA but unionization has been tried and it has failed. Let's move on.

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- Big L from Chicago on Sep 30, 2014
  
  Please don't over generalize about the Left, it just proves you don't know us and if you think we don't care about democracy you will be surprised on election night how many voters we registered (with proper ID), and how many we took to the polls (without ACORN). If you wish to have the discussion of who really believes in democracy bring it on. I'm ready with facts and citations and I'll try to disagree with you without being disagreeable.
  
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- Malikknows on Sep 30, 2014
  
  @Big L from Chicago The Left cares about democracy when it suits them. Otherwise, not so much. Look at gay marriage. Couldn't win a the polls, had to rely on a politicized judiciary. The Left are masters at politicizing bureaucracies, which is where they achieve most of their "social change." And why they love unions so much. They care about results, not about process, esp. one as potentially unreliable as democracy.
  
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- Big L from Chicago on Sep 30, 2014
  
  @malikknows Malik please be specific. I can think of many more examples of right wing antidemocratic actions, than I can of left wing, unless I consider Russia and China Vietnam as left wing, which I personally don't.
  
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- Xeranar on Sep 30, 2014
  
  @malikknows So because the majority of citizens want to deny a minority of citizens a basic human right that is acceptable democracy? You don't understand why we're a representative democratic republic with protection for minorities do you? Tyranny of the majority is what you're advocating and I want to know how you feel about that in 2022 when the left will dominate the Federal legislature.
  
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- Malikknows on Oct 01, 2014
  
  @Big L from Chicago I gave you one, Larry. Gay marriage. The Left routinely relies on bureaucracies and the judiciary to achieve its social goals. In CA and throughout the country, gay marriage voted down, left-wing judges will impose it anyway. It won a popular vote once, I believe, yet it is being imposed by judges across the country, in states where it was voted down. Abortion is another one. Gun rights are another one. The judiciary is the least democratic branch of our government, and the Left relies on it to achieve what it cannot at the polls. If your thinking ID requirements for voting are "anti-democratic," sorry, overwhelming majorities of Americans believe otherwise. In this unionization case, no surprise that the Left is not taking no for an answer. They will continue to work this thing until they get what they want. The actual vote of the workers meant nothing to them.
  
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Malikknows on Sep 30, 2014

Xeranar, what are you talking about?

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