Tennessee Legislators Threatening To Withhold Incentives If VW Workers Vote Pro UAW

Craziness, first time I've heard that the parent company is pro Union, but nevertheless, why does the state government care? Are they afraid that a union run plant would jeopardize other plants in the area?

It's political. Republicans control the legislature and governors mansion. They don't want there to be a union because a union will give money to the Democrats. Union busting has been a big part of Republican politics for the past 35 or so years, they are adamantly opposed to unions and will do anything they can to destroy them.

Ahhh, that makes complete sense. UAW comes in, Republican will lose votes to Union voting blocks throughout the state.

The US plant is the only plant that VW has that is not union. Even the Mexico plants are union. So the US plant stands out like a sore thumb.

The UAW is a Cancer as are all unions. They don't care about the employees only the dues and the power they wield with the corrupt Democraps they purchase with those dues. They don't ask the members who they support, is all for the Democraps. Sorry Paradox that's corruption and money laundering... your comments indicate you're a Democrap, a union rat, or both.

so the MLB Players Union doesn't look out for their members?

i'd caution against painting with such a broad brush

Hey XJughead, your single comment clearly indicates that you are a big old steaming pile of republicrap. What do you know about the German-style works council? Not much it seems. Enjoy your miserable life of ignorance and resulting knee jerk reactions.

perhaps we can lift the level of discussion around here with a little less name calling, and a little more information-sharing.

How about submitting an article about the German-style works council that might enlighten our fellow auto enthusiast?

There is truth in your convictions that can be better articulated.

And this will be the end of VW in the USA. VW is already hurting for business here and now they are going to add the extra union expenses? I can see if this was Honda or Toyota that are in better financial shape but when VW is already having issues on the cost of manufacturing their cars in Europe why would they want to bring the same plan here? I guess their plan is to beat Toyota at manufacturing cars with the least profit margin, raise their car prices here and sell less volume. Great plan VW.

My brother worked for Ford Motor Company in their Sterling Heights, Michigan plant for almost 33 years. They're a bunch of dinosaurs and greedy idiots. They only care about their $10,000 - $15,000 per worker bonus checks which he frequently hauled in. If they have a grip or are in jeopardy of being fired, they run to their local UAW representative. Watch the video posted here are you will see why I would NEVER buy a UAW made vehicle. And these guys got their jobs BACK with FULL pay after the UAW got involved. It was all over the news in Detroit, Mich:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVmKyJXHXRE

It's the kiss of death if you vote for the UAW now.

WelcomeLexusIS - first of all Lexus cars suck, they're soulless, weird, appliances. BTW I was commenting on Paradox's comment and my words are accurate even if the truth hurts you.

YOU are cordially invited to explain to all of us the German Works Council since you're an expert and no cutting and pasting junior! You can then explain the differences in how America is governed and how Germany is governed. Here's a hint Representative Republic vs Socialists. “Collectivism” is socialism and “the Village” that it supposedly takes is socialism. Unions in the public sector need to be illegal, but in private industry it should be allowed. However they serve no purpose any longer other than an us vs them conflict in what could be team environments. If “works councils” are so good, why didn’t BMW & Mercedes have them in the US on day one? Unionizing VW is UAW goal #1 to save the union and nothing more. Once in, they’ll always be in because there is never a recertification clause, why is that? If they get in at VW, the next step is: Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Mercedes, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, and all the others that despise the UAW and have located in areas where they don’t have a foothold. They’re simply lusting over the “dues” potential!!! The power!!! You're probably a lazy union rat anyhow that enjoys his "Job Bank" where you can drink and smoke and play checkers all day while pulling in your full pay and benefits. That’s the American way, huh.. what a bad joke. Someone has to pay for what the lazy "takers" receive. If you'd like to chat, give me your Free Obama Phone number that someone else is paying for and we can chat? Oh, BTW, I am a champion for America and the American people and for American business. "Corporations aren't anymore "greedy" than you are, they're in business to make a product, sell it and make a profit. People are expenses. To maximize profits you keep expenses low. Why do you think companies move globally now? In a global economy competition is fierce and only the leanest, strongest, most innovative will survive. Business people are smart and running a big business takes intelligence. Putting a tire on a wheel required nothing… I submit we have "School Choice" in America, send your kids to the school YOU choose, so your kids will be the smartest, most innovative people in the world, so they are not swept up in this dichotomy of globalization. THAT is the way out for folks that don’t have the best skill sets. However public schools, with Teachers unions are not about the kids, only the teachers. Why do you think there are so many private schools that have no teachers unions?

Oh and Reaganeatsbrains - you've selected perhaps the one Union that does work so way to go. For that one I could name 5 that don’t. Your name sums you up and says it all...

I've been in a union before. I hated it. I still had crappy pay and had no voice in how my union represented me. Unions, in general, have no stake in the health and profitability of the company. They want their raises and bonuses every year no matter how bad things are. If workers want to be represented by the union, they should have that opportunity, but ones that don't shouldn't be strong-armed into it.

I found this comment in the linked article to be funny,

“In my 20 years on the hill, I’ve never seen such a massive intrusion into the affairs of a private company,” said Tennessee Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley."

Apparently, Rep. Fitzhugh has ignored all of the news about Obamacare.

so it seems Republicans in Tennessee are only for the "Free Market" and "Government keeping hands off of private business" only when it suits their own narrow political agenda. Mark this as just another example of Hypocrites in action. Remind me not to laugh too loudly and spare me the "Free Market" crap the next time these chuckle-heads appear on Fox News moaning about government interference in business.

The fact is, the most successful manufacturing country in the entire world is Germany, and it is heavily Unionized. It is also "Socialist" -at least as defined like our current Republicans define it. Even after the last union is busted and gone here in 'Merica Republicans will still find a way to blame unions and workers on our manufacturing woes. Meanwhile, it is horrible design and inept, overpaid senior management that led the way down the tubes for American carmakers during the last 40 years. Please explain how a union worker was to blame for shuffling the next heavily plastic-clad piece of crap out of a design meeting over and over.

rockhead - the big 3 had huge legacy costs and could not design & build cars that were competitive. They could build great cars but they'd need to price them out of the market to cover costs and make a profit. They had to cut corners to make a vehicle they could sell at market prices. They were crap and lost market share and billions. They eventually all almost went bankrupt not because they were incapable of making cars, they're doing pretty well right now, it was because of all the legacy costs, brought on by Job Banks, Benefits, etc... The UAW looted the companies. If mgt is to blame for anything its for agreeing to the extortion in the first place. I mean seriously "Job Banks" where hundreds or thousands of employees get full pay to sit around smoking, drinking, playing checkers and buying bass boats. They should have been using the time, energy and money to advance their educations so they could get BETTER jobs, and better their lives.

Its a global economy and cutting costs is what helps make companies more profitable, its economics 101. If UAW employees are the most productive, most skilled in the world, that means something, but they're not. If a company can move production to a lower cost global region and reduce costs, well... because in a brutally competitive business which the car business is, you've got to have the best products but you've got to provide value or substance for it. Look what Lexus nearly did to the German luxury car companies. They cleaned Cadillacs & Lincolns' clocks... better for less, more substance for less... sorry but those are the facts.

Companies exist to make products and make profits for the owners and the shareholders/investors. They pay a wage to employees to help accomplish this, but the wage is their reward for labor. If employees want more they should DO more or be more valuable, provide more... not demand more for the same or less, thats Government, not the Marketplace.

ahh. the old Job Banks canard. The Job Banks program only cost $2 Billion total ( a pittance to the profits the automakers raked in over this period of time) and was passed in 1987 when the UAW had hundreds of thousands of members. By the time the Job Banks program ended a few years ago the UAW was down over (-50%) in membership, and the Job Banks program had winded down to almost nothing. Only after the Job Banks program ended did the auto industry tank and nearly go out of business. In short, it had no material effect on the products that GM put out.

German automakers have paid higher effective taxes to the German Government (nearly 30% total effective tax rate), to foreign governments they do business in, and workers take paid vacations that last nearly all summer long. The US effective Corporate rate is 12.6% after deductions and loopholes (according to the GAO, despite the 40% marginal rate). The "Socialist" union and government overhead for German carmakers is higher than the US to the tune of $$$ Billions per year.. Yet somehow they have been able to produce cars that people all over the world want, and they can still treat their Union employees with respect and human dignity. This goes for Japanese and virtually all other foreign carmakers- they all pay higher real-world taxes and operate under more Socialism than US carmakers.

Their success is because of design and engineering. It takes competent Management to assemble design and engineering teams and strategize corporate plans for long term success. It is in this regard that US automakers largely failed- high management wanting to rake in short term $$$ profits and huge bonuses over investing in proper design and in people. What they have a history of doing is releasing horrible design no one outside of the US wanted and terrible long-term thinking in how to operate in a global marketplace.

Rockhead - clearly you're in a union. Doesn't matter, NO ONE wants a union in their shop. Doesn't matter who... I'd bet if the current membership "COULD" have a secret ballot to kick the UAW out of GM/Ford/FCM - I'd bet they just might. But that would never happen, too much money, influence & power. Thats what the unions are about, period. Once in, ALWAYS in... Since you're in a union you don't know a thing about business and what it takes to succeed in business. In a union you show up, get it done, and get your check. You never have to excel, or give anything extra (without complaining about the "unfair" treatment). Its ridiculous... actually it thwarts individual creativity, enthusiasm and initiative... it really helps no one.

Say what you want about Job Banks, make it sound small, little, etc.. but it was a big deal and typical of how the companies had to do crazy things to avoid strikes, shut downs, absenteeism-sick days, etc... revisionist history doesn't change history.