Volkswagen Union Chief: Company May Block Future Plants In U.S. South

Retired circuit judge Sam Payne, left, announces that Volkswagen employees voted to deny representation by the United Auto Workers union as Frank Fischer, Chairman and CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America, center, ... Retired circuit judge Sam Payne, left, announces that Volkswagen employees voted to deny representation by the United Auto Workers union as Frank Fischer, Chairman and CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America, center, and Gary Casteel, UAW Region 8 Director, look on from behind, concluding a three day election which ended this evening Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, in Chattanooga, Tenn. (AP Photo/Chattanooga Times Free Press, Dan Henry) THE DAILY CITIZEN OUT; NOOGA.COM OUT; CLEVELAND DAILY BANNER OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT MORE LESS
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BERLIN (AP) — Volkswagen’s top workers’ representative says he won’t give up the fight for unionization at the German automaker’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Employees there voted 712-626 last week against joining the United Auto Workers union after state Republicans warned that it could hurt the local economy.

Bernd Osterloh, who is also a member of VW’s supervisory board, told the German daily Suddeutsche Zeitung in an interview published Wednesday that U.S. labor law experts will check whether undue pressure was put on employees to reject the UAW.

Osterloh says “all options will be examined” to introduce a “works council” at the only major VW plant worldwide without formal worker representation.

He told the paper that the failure to achieve this might prevent Volkswagen from building future plants in the U.S. South.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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