Volkswagen Faces Accusations of Union-Busting From United Auto Workers -- 2nd Update
December 12 2023 - 8:19AM
Dow Jones News
By David Sachs
Volkswagen is the subject of a complaint filed by the United
Auto Workers claiming anti-union activities at a U.S. plant.
UAW President Shawn Fain said late Monday that the union has
filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against
the German carmaker alleging that managers at its Chattanooga,
Tennessee, plant stifled conversations about unionizing through
harassment and threats. The UAW also said that security guards
confiscated pro-union materials.
"These companies are breaking the law in an attempt to get
autoworkers to sit down and shut up instead of fighting for their
fair share," UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement. "But
these workers are showing management that they won't be intimidated
out of their right to speak up and organize for a better life."
In a statement, Volkswagen said it would investigate the
accusations and referenced "an atmosphere of disinformation."
"Volkswagen respects our workers' right to determine who should
represent their interests in the workplace," the company said. "We
are committed to providing clear, transparent, and timely
information that helps educate our employees and managers on their
legal rights and obligations. This is especially important in an
atmosphere of deliberate misinformation."
UAW has been recruiting U.S. auto workers at Volkswagen sites
and at factories belonging to other carmakers following a strike
that won pay raises and new benefits for employees of Stellantis,
Ford and General Motors. The union said that more than 1,000
Volkswagen employees at the Tennessee plant have joined the
effort.
In November, Volkswagen gave workers at the Chattanooga plant
11% pay raises two days after the UAW ratified contracts with the
big-three carmakers.
The UAW said it has also filed complaints against Honda and
Hyundai, claiming anti-union activities at U.S. plants. A U.S.
spokesperson for Hyundai didn't immediately respond to a request
for comment. Honda didn't respond to a request for comment.
-Kwanwoo Jun in Singapore contributed to this article.
Write to David Sachs at david.sachs@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 12, 2023 08:04 ET (13:04 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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