Miller: State Aid Concession by Tennessee Officials a Victory for VW Workers
WASHINGTON—Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, released the following statement in response to the news that the state of Tennessee will provide a $165.8 million grant to expand a Volkswagen manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and an additional $12 million for training new employees.
“It is welcome news that Tennessee officials have agreed to provide state aid for expanding operations at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant, thus ending their interference in a decision between VW and its workers to form a works council.
“The bullying tactics of Tennessee Republicans, who threatened to withhold state assistance for VW’s Chattanooga factory over its employees’ efforts to create a works council, have failed.
“The threat of withholding government funds for the purpose of sustaining a union-busting campaign against Chattanooga workers offends all sense of fair play and decency and must never be repeated.
“Due to the courageous efforts of the Chattanooga plant’s employees and the persistence of VW company officials, all plant workers will be able to participate in a new works council.
“As VW has proved all over the world, works councils are good for business and workers. They are a successful model for cooperative labor-management relations, driving increased productivity, lowering company costs, and promoting a strong workforce.”
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