Catherwood LibraryILR School

The final tally of the vote at Volkswagen?s Chattanooga, Tennessee plant was 712 to 626, which means that the UAW will not represent the workers in collective bargaining. The failing vote dimmed the hopes that the plant would become the first workplace in the U.S. with a German-style works council. Those hopes are far from extinguished, however, as labor officials for the company were calling for the work council even without a union. Company representatives still believe that there is evidence of support for the council, though many American labor law experts say that without a union representing the workforce on the works council, the institution will likely be ruled illegal. Volkswagen executives maintain that they are working on a legal way to implement their plan, mulling different unions who might organize segments of workers in the plant.