UAW union bosses have filed a petition with the NLRB requesting a union certification election for a group of maintenance workers in Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN (October 27, 2015) – On October 23, the United Auto Workers union filed for a union certification election at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant for a group of maintenance employees. In response to multiple media inquiries, Mark Mix, President of the NRTW Foundation issued the following statement:
“While UAW union officials’ decision to not push for another plant wide election demonstrates that they don’t think they can win majority support in a secret ballot election, their push to impose monopoly unionization on workers at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant hasn’t stopped even though workers rejected them in an NLRB-conducted election just over a year ago.
“With the NLRB’s new Ambush election rules now in effect, events are expected to move rapidly, with an election possible in less than two weeks, which unfortunately may not be enough time for some VW team members to fully debate and discuss everything that is at stake. The NLRB’s rushed election process is particularly unfortunate here, because if union bosses are successful in this vote, it will be the first step towards their stated goal of gaining exclusive, monopoly power over the entire workforce.
“Once union officials gain a foothold, they will become the monopoly representative for all maintenance employees—even those who did not ask for or voted against union representation. These employees may lose their right to talk directly to plant management concerning matters of their own conditions of employment.
“Moreover, if the UAW becomes the monopoly bargaining representative, workers it “represents” may be forced to pay full union dues to vote on union officers or ratification of the contract. This includes the portion of dues that covers union political activities, often for controversial causes and candidates.”
The National Right to Work Foundation will offer free legal aid to any VW workers to ensure that their workplace rights are protected.
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.
