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Breaking: NLRB Upholds Union Vote at Volkswagen's Chattanooga Plant


Today, the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") voted 2 - 1 to deny Volkswagen's request to review a union election from last year at the company's Chattanooga plant in which a small group of employees agreed to be organized by the United Auto Workers ("UAW").  For those who were not following the issue, last December, the UAW won the organizing election among a small group of maintenance employees by a vote of 108 to 44. 

The main contention raised by Volkswagen centered on the argument that labor decisions should be made by all 1,400 blue collar workers at the plant (rather than the group of nearly 160 workers that specialized in the repair and maintenance of machinery and robots who voted to organize in December).

According to the NLRB, Volkswagen failed to raise a substantial issue warranting a review of the vote.  The NLRB held that Volkswagen could not establish that the additional employees it sought to include would share an "overwhelming community interest" with the petitioned for unit.

Readers might remember that the UAW has been attempting to unionize the Volkswagen plant for a while.  This is a major victory for them...depending upon how Volkswagen proceeds now that the NLRB has ruled against them.
 

For additional information:  http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2016/04/13/nlrb-rules-uaw-can-organize-group-vw-workers/82991564/

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