The loss is an especially stinging blow for U.A.W. because Volkswagen did not even oppose the unionization drive. The union’s defeat — in what was one of the most closely watched unionization votes in decades — is expected to slow, perhaps stymie, the union’s long-term plans to organize other auto plants in the South.This story appeared in the NY Times without a comments section for their readers.
Standing outside the Volkswagen plant, Mike Jarvis, a three-year employee who works on the finishing line, said the majority had voted against U.A.W. because they were persuaded the union had hurt Detroit’s automakers.
“Look at what happened to the auto manufacturers in Detroit and how they struggled. They all shared one huge factor: the U.A.W.,” said Mr. Jarvis, who added that he had had bad experiences with other labor unions. “If you look at how the U.A.W’s membership has plunged, that shows they’re doing a lot wrong.”
Mike Burton, a VW worker who led the anti-union drive, said many workers felt that they were paid well and treated well without having a union and thus saw no need to have one. He said many workers objected to the U.A.W. having initially sought unionization based on what it said was having a majority of cards signed favoring a union.
“We don’t need the U.A.W. to give us rights we already have,” he said. “We can already talk to the company if we have any problems.”
Saturday, February 15, 2014
"Volkswagen Vote is Defeat for Labor in South"
"In a defeat for organized labor in the South, employees at the Volkswagen plant here voted 712 to 626 against joining the United Automobile Workers."
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18 comments:
Good. Uaw is a parasite
Want authoritarian political leftists to strip your paycheck so they can party in Vegas ? Vote union. Want your dues to help pay for the election of more corruption? Vote union.
Even "up north" our plants have moved away from unions (Teamsters) by voting against joining or taking the extraordinary measure of decertifying. The guys look around and see the non-union employees getting treated just as well or better without dues and without a bankrupt pension. No contest.
That's just it. Unions are unnecessary and obsolete. Union dues are another tax, and that money is not used to represent you, it is used to further empower Democrat pols and leftist ambitions.
There's nothing intrinsically awesome about auto companies and the way they treat employees. This is a balancing act and one in which the unions have overplayed their hand. Union organizing should be a growth industry in China and the third world.
The reason that the vote for the union failed is because Obama butted in with his two cents and everything that he touches turns to shit.
No comment section. Interesting.
Labor did not suffer a defeat, the UAW suffered a defeat. Given how the UAW left Detroit and Flint...I am thinking this was a victory for Labor in the South.
AllenS, you have a way of describing things just right.
Hey, BTW, Team USA just beat the Russians. In hockey.
They might have more success in the South if they called themselves labor confederacies.
Good one, Chip S. *air high fives*
Hey, don't leave a guy hangin'.
Booyah!
The UAW is going to have a difficult time finding someone or something on which to hang this loss. Koch Brothers? Scott Walker? Chamber of Commerce? It was a clean defeat, there are no parties to blame other than the UAW itself.
It's a safe bet that either the NLRB or the DoJ will be consulted, and reason found to hold another election.
Letting this defeat stand unchallenged will end the UAW's opportunities at all other non-union auto plants in the US.
It seems the current line is that Corker is the reason that the drive failed, not that the workers had any free will and chose not to unionize.
All the claims of lawsuits or NLRB action will amount to nothing, particularly as the NLRB is about to be bitchslapped again by the Supreme Court due to one of Obama's myriad of unconstitutional over reaches.
There are a couple threads on daily kos, if you want to read 50 Garage Mahal's all crying together at once.
Interesting how the left can't take a simple "No" for an answer.
You know ... like when a woman says "no" she means it.
Happy news; I had a (small) bottle of wine last night with dinner to celebrate.
Mickey Kaus -- a liberal -- made the best point. This shows what a fraud so called "card check" is and why the union bosses want that, instead of elections. The UAW claimed it had a majority of cards collected; yet they lost. Surprise? Not if you know how these cards are so often collected fraudulently or under coercion.
Also, there's a little known fact about our labor laws that's worth pointing out at this stage.
Despite what you've heard, nothing in federal labor law prevents a union from seeking to represent solely those workers who want union representation. Recall how the poor union bosses always cry about voluntary union dues, because they're "forced" to represent non-payers?
Not true. That only happens when they seek to become the "exclusive" representative of the entire "unit" of workers.
But if they and the company desire it, the union can be a bargaining rep for the group of workers -- nearly a majority, but not quite -- that voted for the union. Nothing stops that from happening.
In general, there are two key differences. First, they won't have any role in negotiating contracts for non-union folks; only those who opt-in. Second, the unions cannot collect dues from the entire group, only the opt-in-ers.
But, Tennessee's right to work, so the second condition would have been true anyway!
So why not go for the non-exclusive arrangement? VW seems to like unions. Let's see what the UAW does.
It was a close vote.
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