4/14/2016: The German trade union IG Metall today released the following statement after the National Labor Relations Board denied Volkswagen’s request to review the election in which skilled-trades employees voted to designate UAW Local 42 as their bargaining representative:
“NLRB confirmed that the union election of December 2015 at the VW plant in Chattanooga was legitimate. At that time the skilled-trades employees voted with a great majority for a union representation. With immediate effect, UAW can negotiate a collective agreement for the skilled-trades employees at VW in Chattanooga. Jörg Hofmann, President of IG Metall, declared: ‘Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga should have the same rights as other Volkswagen team members around the world. It is in Volkswagen’s own interest to accept the NLRB decision and not to contest it once again.'”