UAW To Abandon Combative Respresentation And Adopt Cooperative Works Council At Volkswagen Plant

The United Auto Workers says there is no timetable for convincing Volkswagen AG to recognize union as the collective bargaining agent of the plant’s 1,500 blue collar workers — and it wants to establish a German-style works council at the Tennessee plant.

UAW secretary-treasurer Gary Casteel told reporters on a conference call that VW’s decision to grant the UAW access to managers at the Chattanooga plant that builds the Passat was a “big deal,” giving the union a “seat at the table.” VW made the decision after an audit showed it had the support of at least 45 percent of workers at the plant.

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valhallakey - 12/10/2014 6:11:38 PM

+2 Boost

Could be a useful and fundamental change in how unions operate in the US. Hopefully they learn how their peers in Germany operate to the success of the company and of the workers. In the end the most valuable asset most companies have is the people. Get them all working together in a cooperative manner and you can do some amazing things.

MDarringer - 12/10/2014 9:11:37 PM

0 Boost

The German works council is raping VWAG...get a clue

TheSteve - 12/10/2014 6:51:39 PM

+1 Boost

Let's see what the UAW looks like when they don't get what they want. I'm skeptical that the UAW can work cooperatively. An extortive, "us versus them" mindset is pervasive.

valhallakey - 12/10/2014 6:57:53 PM

0 Boost

True of most management structures as well. Takes two to Tango so they say and it has to start somewhere.

MDarringer - 12/10/2014 9:12:34 PM

0 Boost

Let's outlaw unions having the right to--in any way--participate in politics.

MDarringer - 12/10/2014 8:30:11 PM

+1 Boost

Of course they will! The works council in Germany CONTROLS the company.

valhallakey - 12/11/2014 2:16:45 AM

+2 Boost

Agreed unions are not individuals, while we are reforming politics let's ban corporations from participating as well, limit it to US citizens and put some reasonable limit on donations, say $2k so that speech is not bizarrely skewed. On the unions killing VW, are they also killing BMW, Porsche etc...? Having lived in. Germany 3 1/2 yrs I had friend in both mgmt and in unions and they all saw it very different from what almost anyone in US does. This is an interesting article on the differences, not sure all the authors conclusions are correct but the analysis is pretty good.
http://www.remappingdebate.org/article/tale-two-systems