UAW unveils works council proposal for Volkswagen plant

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The United Auto Workers today unveiled a proposal for creating a German-style works council at Volkswagen plant in Tennessee that is predicated on the automaker recognizing the union as its exclusive bargaining partner.

The UAW's "Vision Statement for a Collectively Bargained Works Council at Volkswagen Chattanooga" is based on an agreement struck with the German automaker before workers narrowly defeated a union vote at the plant last year.

After that loss, the UAW's Local 42 has plowed away at signing up workers in its ongoing effort to make the plant the first owned by a foreign automaker to be represented by the union in the South — despite vocal opposition from anti-union Republicans in the state and region.

The union disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Department of Labor last week that it has 816 members, or about 55 percent of the total blue collar workforce.

"The UAW represent a majority of the Hourly Unit, and are thus fully entitled to act as exclusive representatives of that unit at VW Chattanooga," according to the statement.

A Volkswagen plant spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.