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Second VW Vehicle Program at Chattanooga Linked to Works Council?

Volkswagen AG's decision to add a second model at its plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., could depend upon establishing a European-style works council there, says the company's top labor executive.
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Volkswagen AG's decision to add a second model at its plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., could depend upon establishing a European-style works council there, says the company's top labor executive.

The United Auto Workers union is promoting itself as the best union to represent Chattanooga workers on wages and benefits.

The factory currently produces the Passat sedan. VW Vice Chairman Bernd Osterloh, who also heads VW's global works council, tells Reuters that VW would be open to allocating another vehicle program to the facility but only if the UAW or other national union empowers a local council to make decisions about work rules and related plant operations.

Tennessee's Gov. Bill Haslam and Republican Senator Bob Corker oppose unionization in any form at the plant. Osterloh says he is rescheduling a trip to Tennessee to meet with politicians and others on both sides of the debate.

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