At the end of May, Bernd Osterloh, head of Volkswagen’s works council, nipped the UAW’s attempt to unionize the Chattanooga plant, Tennessee, in the bud in March (see our dispatch No. 120199). The UAW expected a lot from the IG-Metall’s support in this rather hostile undertaking, but the largest German union decided not to use the influence it has from its approximately 2.2 million members in Germany to encourage the UAW in the south of the United States, or even think about another form of employee representation (without detailing which). In doing so, Osterloh denied refusing support to its American counterpart (see our dispatch No. 110019). “Of course, we will support the UAW (…). But there's one thing we cannot do. We can't take workers at VW Chattanooga by the hand when it comes to voting (on UAW representation). One has to be in favor if one wants union representation.”
ts American counterpart (see our dispatch No. 110019). “Of course, we will support the UAW (…). But there’s one thing we cannot do. We can’t take workers at VW Chattanooga by the hand when it comes to voting (on UAW representation). One has to be in favor if one wants union representation.”
Changing mindsets takes time. Yet, to stabilize its finances, the UAW needs 200,000 additional members – in addition to continuing its cost-control policy launched two years ago by treasurer Dennis Willia
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