UAW Subpoenas Tennessee Governor And Other Politicians Over VW Non-Union Vote

The United Auto Workers union on Wednesday subpoenaed numerous prominent Tennessee politicians and anti-tax activist Grover Norquist in its effort to convince the National Labor Relations Board to overturn the results of a organizing election in February.

The Detroit-based union, which narrowly lost a bid to organize Volkswagen AG’s Chattanooga, Tenn., plant in February, wants the following to appear at an April 21 NLRB hearing: Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.; Gov. Bill Haslam; Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell; Majority Leader Gerald McCormick; Tennessee Sen. Bo Watson, R-Chattanooga; and Economic Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty.

Also named among the 20 witnesses are Corker’s chief of staff and press secretary. The subpoeanas demand that the witnesses bring emails and other documents detailing government incentives for VW to locate a planned midsize SUV in Tennessee.

MBCLS07 - 4/10/2014 12:51:22 PM

+4 Boost

Leftists simply refuse to accept the results of a vote—from Gore's defeat in 2000 to Al Franken's defeat in '08 to the UAW's loss in Tennessee. They'll either "recount" votes, "find" votes or sue until they get the results they want.

gkearns56 - 4/10/2014 2:38:57 PM

+6 Boost

They won't be making any friends with the Governor and other people soon. UAW IDIOTS!!

MattDarringer - 4/10/2014 7:50:37 PM

+3 Boost

The UAW criminals are an enemy of the state. The workers have spoken.

chlyn001 - 4/11/2014 12:01:53 AM

-1 Boost

You right-wingers will never understand, as long as you keep on touting the anti-American view that workers should not organize and that most all income gains should go to the top. Workers should organize for fair pay and safe working conditions, and elections should be fair and unswayed by hysterical politicians hell bent on keeping workers under the thumb of financial elites who fear workplace fairness. Hell, even VW wanted workers to have a say, just like they do in their other plants.

MattDarringer - 4/11/2014 8:35:17 AM

+4 Boost

@chlyn001 I have NO PROBLEM with workers organizing. That's fine, BUT American unions are closed shop usually--meaning an employee cannot opt out if they object to the union--and the Unions funnel massive $$ only to the Democrats. Unions are NOT about protecting workers and every Leftist Liberal knows that. They are about funding the Democrats. I am 100% for Unions so long as they are BANNED from ALL political activity, which should be an individual's choice. Support Right To Work!

chlyn001 - 4/11/2014 3:49:28 PM

+1 Boost

Would you also support the idea that financial elites should no longer fund any candidates that promise to do the thing the elites most want, that being 'no new taxes' no matter the need or wisdom of doing so? In fact, let's ban all money from the election process, and let's publically fund the various local and national races. Still with me?

MattDarringer - 4/11/2014 6:36:10 PM

0 Boost

@chlyn001 I think that all individuals, businesses, and corporations should be limited to something like $50 a year in total contributions. The size of government needs to be cut 1/3--surprisingly easy to do--and congress, senate, and the president should have NO SALARY or any pension from SERVING in public office. These are WEALTHY people to begin with.

chlyn001 - 4/12/2014 5:49:58 PM

+2 Boost

MattDarringer I don't have too much of a problem with that. I could support what you propose, but it does sorta assume no middle class or lower positioned person could ever aspire to leadership. That seems unfair. There should be a way somewhere in the middle, but I doubt big money would like it. They wouldn't be able to buy elections anymore.