UAW Edges Toward Recognition at VW Plant

The United Auto Workers union claims the local it created five weeks ago for employees at Volkswagen AG's assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., has already signed up at least 670 of the facility's 1,500 hourly workers, Reuters reports.

If the local can gain a majority of VW's workers, the company could recognize the UAW as the exclusive bargaining agent for Chattanooga's entire hourly workforce.

In February VW Chattanooga workers rejected the union as its representative in a 712-626 vote. UAW Secretary-Treasurer Gary Casteel tells Reuters the union's newly created local has attracted enough members at least 670 to have won the February vote.

But last month VW said it was adding 2,000 jobs at the factory to build a new midsize SUV there. That would raise the UAW local's membership target to about 1,750.

Casteel tells Reuters that VW has agreed informally to eventually recognize the new local. But VW has not said whether the company would make the UAW the sole bargaining representative of its hourly workers without a new direct vote at the factory.