UAW sets sights on Volkswagen?s U.S. workers
In Germany, most companies bargain over economic issues with an industry-wide employee organization and have a plant-specific works council to discuss day-to-day concerns such as overtime and productivity goals. Volkswagen says that they have received signed union-approval cards from more employees than the 50% plus one necessary to request a union-certification election for the United Automotive Workers (UAW) at their Chattanooga, Tennessee plant. Volkswagen may voluntarily recognize the union and begin bargaining without a certification election. The significance in this unionization campaign is in the openness that Volkswagen is responding to their Chattanooga employees? request for a works council.
See "UAW sets sights on Volkswagen?s U.S. workers", Alisa Priddle, USA Today, September 12, 2013