It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
“In my 20 years on the hill, I’ve never seen such a massive intrusion into the affairs of a private company,” said Tennessee Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley.
“It has been widely reported that Volkswagen has promoted a campaign that has been unfair, unbalanced and, quite frankly, un-American in the traditions of American labor campaigns,” State Sen. Bo Watson, R-Chattanooga, said in a statement sent to the Free Press. “Should the workers choose to be represented by the United Auto Workers, then I believe additional incentives for expansion will have a very tough time passing the Tennessee Senate.”
“Further financial incentives — which are absolutely necessary for the expansion of the VW facility — simply will not exist if the UAW wins this election,” said Maury Nicely, a Chattanooga, Tenn., labor lawyer opposed to VW’s cooperation with the union.
The management of VW issued a statement over the weekend that “outside political groups won't divert us from the work at hand: innovating, creating jobs, growing and producing great automobiles.”
Yesterday, In These Times’s Mike Elk got his hands on a private document showing how DC-based political groups have moved to block the United Automobile Workers organizing effort at the Volkswagon plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
A consultant named Matt Patterson, formerly with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, authored the document, obtained by Elk, that spells out his efforts to mobilize Tea Party, libertarian, and local media attacks on the VW organizing drive.
"One hundred and fifty years ago an invading Union army was halted at Chattanooga by the Confederate Army of Tennessee under General Braxton Bragg. The Battle of Chickamauga was one of the bloodiest days of the entire Civil War, and a resounding defeat for the Northern forces. Today Southeastern Tennessee faces invasion from another union— an actual labor union, the United Auto Workers"
Metallicus
This is obviously stupid by these Republicans, but do you really think one party is better at tearing our country apart than the other? Seriously, both these parties are full of morons.
Also, not every aspect of unionization is positive. You can have problems getting rid of under performing employees, less overall jobs available, excessive union dues and overcompensation for work performed.
The biggest, most astounding, and most difficult-to-comprehend accomplishment by the right over the last 4 decades has been to get working-class people to distrust, reject and vilify labor unions, the social institution more responsible than any other for the quality of life all working people enjoy today.
mikell
When the unions were strong and well off so were Americans. Now the unions are weak and so is America.