NLRB Advises Dismissing Charges Against UAW, VW

A dozen workers at Volkswagen AG's assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., say they will appeal a recommendation to reject their complaints of coercion by the VW and the United Auto Workers union.

Eight workers claims the union pressured them into signing cards to show they wanted the UAW to represent them. Four others allege that VW works council chief Bernd Osterloh indicated future vehicle programs at the Chattanooga facility would depend upon workers approving the UAW.

Both groups have been aided by the National Right to Work Foundation, which opposes unionization. Tennessee's Republican Gov. Bill Haslam and U.S. Sen. Bob Corker also object to union representation at the Chattanooga facility.

But the general counsel office of the U.S. National Labor Relations Board says both worker complaints should be dismissed. Its recommendation was relayed last week to the director of NLRB Region 10 that includes Tennessee, who will make the final ruling.

VW had said it does not oppose union representation at the factory. It wants to set up a works council that represents both management and hourly workers at the facility a system already in place at all wholly owned VW plants. Under such circumstances, U.S. labor law requires that workers must be represented by a U.S.-based union.

VW, which is weighing whether to build a new crossover vehicle in Tennessee or Mexico, has said it will not hold a general worker vote on unionization until the NLRB complaints are resolved. Last week UAW President Bob King predicted the union will be accepted at the Tennessee plant before he retires in June.