Tennessee Legislators Threaten to Withhold Incentives if VW workers Choose Union

German manufacturers are accustomed to working with unions and workers councils which offer input on efficiency, safety and innovation for workplace procedures. Politicians typically welcome foreign direct investment and new management styles of major international firms, and Volkswagen, a German firm, is considering expanding an auto plant in Tennessee or Mexico. But conservative Republican legislators in Tennessee threaten to withhold tax incentives – and reject the extra jobs – if workers join the UAW, or the United Auto Workers Union. “The company has allowed anti-union groups into the plant to talk to workers and distribute printed material,” reports Brent Snavely . “If workers at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee vote for UAW representation, the union and company will form a German-style works council. The council is a structure Volkswagen uses at most of its assembly plants around the world.” US labor law requires the councils be unions. One Republican legislator called Volkswagen plans “un-American,” but VW claims that “Our works councils are key to our success and productivity.” – YaleGlobal