In a visit to Volkswagen?s Tennessee plant on Thursday, Bernd Osterloh, head of global works councils, stated that whether or not employees in the plant decide to certify the UAW as their official representation, the company plans on pushing for some kind of ?co-determination?. Talks about a works council have been in the works for the better part of the year, but Mr. Osterloh?s latest comments clarified that Volkswagen plans on putting future work in the plant regardless of whether the UAW is representing the workers or not. To Volkswagen, a ?corporate culture of works councils [is] a competitive advantage,? Mr. Osterloh insisted.
See "Volkswagen: Union vote won?t affect U.S. plans", Erik Schelzig, USA Today, November 14, 2013