The union believed it had support from a clear majority of the 1,500-strong workforce, however an effective anti-union campaign from conservative groups and state legislators has been blamed for turning the tide as employees headed to the polls. In the end, a 712-to-626 vote rejected UAW representation for the plant.
Ahead of the vote, billboards around the Republican-leaning city mocked the union as “United Obama Workers” and blamed it for Detroit’s bankruptcy. State Senator Bo Watson held a press conference to announce that VW would lose its tax incentives over union support, and Senator Bob Corker promised the plant would be chosen to build a new VW SUV if workers rejected the UAW.
“It’s never happened before that a U.S. senator, a governor and a leader of the House of Representatives threatened the company and threatened the workers,” said UAW president Bob King, as quoted by the Detroit Free Press.
The vote has been viewed as an indicator of the UAW’s viability in the traditionally anti-union South, where other German and Japanese automakers have established manufacturing facilities. The union has lost most of its membership since a peak in the late ’70s, and success in Chattanooga would have marked a potential turning point.
“We’re not leaving Chattanooga,” said UAW secretary-treasurer Dennis Williams. “It took seven years to organize Ford, and I will be around for at least another five.”
The union suggests it will challenge the vote results with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging illegal interference by Watson and Corker. The union may be facing an uphill battle, however, as the law is focused on interference from a company itself rather than outside groups and government officials, unless the officials are working on behalf of the company.
In this case, VW has remained officially neutral of the UAW efforts but supportive of worker representation in general. In fact, the company plans to establish a works council despite the UAW rejection.
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