Results should be counted by 11 PM Eastern Time. Anti-union Southern Governors out in force in opposition.
{{ The chances for a UAW win seem high, given that about 70% of the plant’s workers pledged to vote in favor of unionization before it requested the vote, according to the union. Voting that began on Wednesday concludes Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern time, with ballot counting expected to take a few hours.}}
I predict a lot of “clutching at pearls” this evening.
intercst
Send them all “fat dowager” dresses so their “clutching at pearls” act at least MAY look appropriate…
I should note that Germany-based VW is a pro-union employer. All of their operations in Germany are unionized and there is even a union member on the Corporate Board at German companies.
VW is unlikely to hire an anti-union law firm or consultant to influence the vote, like you’d see at an Amazon warehouse.
intercst
And, IIRC, the workers themselves. Didn’t this plant end up voting no twice already?
DB2
Several years ago, at the urging of the union rep on the VAG board, VW had a union vote at the Chattanooga plant. Of course, the anti-worker (L&Ses) of the state campaigned hard against it. The union vote failed that time.
Steve
Yep. But that was before the UAW delivered the historic pay raises at the Big 3 automakers. Apparently non-union workers can do arithmetic.
Another plus is that VW doesn’t mind unions (indeed, the Chattanooga plant is the only non-union shop among 40 plants worldwide.)
Even in the South, workers are starting to figure out who’s screwing them.
intercst
VAG is used to working with a “works council”. Sometimes, the works council has an impact. Several years ago, VAG hired McKinsey to recommend cost cuts. Knowing that McKiney’s default recommendation is always Prole head count reduction, the union pushed back, hard. VAG cancelled the contract with McKinsey.
It doesn’t hurt that the German government, and, iirc, the government of Lower Saxony, hold VAG shares too, and they tend to respond to voters, rather than which lobbyist writes the biggest check.
Steve
We have a winner.
{{ Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tenn., passed a historic vote to join the United Auto Workers on Friday, becoming the first Southern auto factory to approve a union with an election since the 1940s.
Nearly three-quarters of 3,613 workers voted yes in the three-day election, the National Labor Relations Board said late Friday, confirming earlier reports by the union and Volkswagen. The ballot needed a simple majority to pass. }}
Somebody is starting to do arithmetic in the South.
intercst
Farley at Ford has already threatened to offshore more production.
Offshore management and reduce its head count. Talk about mega-savings !!!