Workers Reject United Auto Workers Union

Auto workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee wisely rejected representation by the United Auto Workers Union.   Ironically, in this particular case German car maker Volkswagen actually encouraged a vote in favor of the union because VW Management is very accustomed to dealing with unions.  In any case, a majority of the folks that work at the plant said, No Thanks. 

Who can blame them.   Factory workers in the United States are protected by all sorts of state and federal laws that govern work rules.  In addition, auto makers in the South pay competitive wages.  So why on earth would auto workers want to pay union dues to support fat cat, cigar smoking union bosses.  It is these same bosses that bankrupted GM and Chrysler and caused several hundred thousand jobs to be shipped overseas because of unreasonable compensation, benefits and work rule demands.   The Auto Union kept squeezing the balloon and when the financial crisis hit, it burst. 

This vote against the United Auto Workers spells bad news for the union that has been trying to organize car plants in the South.  The Volkswagen Plant was its best chance of getting a positive vote.   Other states in the South are all right to work states, which is one of the reasons new car plants were built there.   Union representation would be a waste of money for these workers, since they are already well paid and get good benefits.  The fact is that only public employee unions are growing.   Unions in the manufacturing private sector have been on the decline for years.