Persons involved in the auto industry here in the mid-state are closely watching union efforts in Chattanooga. On Friday (5/23/2014) Volkswagen workers voluntarily withdrew their federal lawsuit challenging the United Autoworker (UAW) union officials’ backroom organizing deal with company management during the union’s highly-publicized push to unionize the workers at VW’s Chattanooga facility.

No UAW Vote Allowed For 1-Year

The withdrawal was prompted by VW and UAW’s attorneys’ concessions in legal papers filed with the court that, having lost the election at the Chattanooga plant and dropped its objections to the result, the UAW cannot seek another election until sometime next year.

The case was initiated in March by the workers with free legal assistance from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.

“Having successfully defended the result of the vote against the UAW, the workers and their Foundation staff attorneys have made the strategic decision to withdraw their federal lawsuit against the UAW and Volkswagen,” stated Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation.  “Foundation staff attorneys stand ready to provide free legal assistance to VW workers if VW and the UAW enter into another organizing deal or if UAW bosses resort to unlawful tactics at the plant again.”

“When we filed this lawsuit, we were worried that the UAW union was going to be forced on us,” stated plaintiff and Volkswagen team member Mike Jarvis.  “Now that the vote has been certified, we want to move on, work with our fellow VW team members, and focus on building our award-winning cars.”