UAW Files NLRB Charges Against Volkswagen

12/22/2015: The UAW today released the following statement after filing charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) stipulating that Volkswagen Group of America is violating the National Labor Relations Act by refusing to enter into collective bargaining with skilled-trades employees at the company’s Chattanooga facility.

Gary Casteel, Secretary-Treasuer of the UAW and director of the union’s Transnational Department, said: “The NLRB determined that Volkswagen’s skilled-trades employees constitute an appropriate collective bargaining unit, then supervised a fair election, and then promptly certified the results. Volkswagen’s skilled trades employees voted overwhelmingly to designate UAW Local 42 as their representative for the purposes of entering into collective bargaining, which is a very common practice between employees and employers. Following this month’s election, we were hopeful that the company would accept the results and recommit to the principles of social responsibility that made Volkswagen a respected global brand. Instead, Volkswagen has refused to come to the bargaining table in violation of federal law. By refusing to engage in collective bargaining after a successful election, Volkswagen is not only doing a disservice to its employees but now is thumbing its nose at the federal government as well.”