Union busting ramps up at Chattanooga, TN Volkswagen plant

[Skeeter Barnes]

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.

Though workers at the plant, VW and the UAW seem largely in agreement about forming a workers’ council at the factory, prominent anti-union groups have swarmed Chattanooga to obstruct the deal. 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.

In his proposal to donors, Patterson says his plan is to kill the momentum for unionization in the South, noting, “significant impact can made be over the next year in Tennessee, Alabama, and throughout the South to keep the UAW from organizing the foreign-owned auto facilities.”

Though much of Patterson’s tactics have been concealed until now, he did author an op-ed in May that called on Southerners to regard the union-drive as a chance to reenact the “bloodiest days of the entire Civil War.” Patterson wrote:

http://www.thenation.com/blog/177162/anti-uaw-consultant-defeat-invading-union-force-vw-plant-our-confederate-ancestors

[Teamster Jeff]

1. I hope these southern workers can see through the bullshit

and vote for their best interests. Seem to me that way back when, regular folk were conned into the meat grinder called the "War of Northern Aggression" by similar propaganda.

[Skeeter Barnes]

2. Last I heard, the UAW said a majority of the workers have signed a petition to vote for

representation. I think they will vote in favor of something but I don't like the sound of this workers council bullshit. They need to have a real contract and be able to file grievances with stiff penalties for the company not complying. Fuck cooperating with them.