Tennessee

Tennessee Volkswagen Workers Have Filed for a Union Election

Published

1 month ago

March 18, 2024

Tennessee Volkswagen Workers Have Filed for a Union Election

Autoworkers will vote on whether to form a union at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the company’s only factory on the planet without a union.

On Monday, the United Auto Workers (UAW) filed for an election to represent all four thousand of the plant’s hourly employees, after the union said a “supermajority” of workers signed union cards in one hundred days. Unlike in the last three failed drives at this plant, this time, the UAW has publicly laid out its strategy to support worker-led organizing across the nonunion auto and battery plant sector at companies like Toyota, Rivian, Hyundai, Mercedes, and Volkswagen.

The strategy is for workers to announce their organizing drives once they have reached 30 percent on signed union authorization cards, hold rallies with community and labor supporters at the 50 percent mark, and demand voluntary recognition when they reach 70 percent, having grown their organizing committee to include workers from every shift and job classification. If the company refuses, the workers file for an election with the National Labor Relations Board.

Volkswagen is the first nonunion plant to clear that milestone. More than ten thousand workers at thirteen nonunion carmakers and two dozen facilities nationwide have signed union cards since last November, when the UAW announced an ambitious goal to organize one hundred fifty thousand autoworkers.

That’s roughly the same number of workers covered under the Big 3 contracts at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis. The union captivated the labor movement last fall with a Big 3 strike that won members landmark contracts.

The UAW was circumspect about confirming whether 70 percent of workers in the Chattanooga plant had indeed signed union cards. But the union’s strategy indicates that workers have built enough energy and momentum to file for an election.

In a new video released by the union, Volkswagen workers explain why they’re voting yes: to improve working conditions, to gain representation in management meetings, to fix broken equipment, and to win adequate health care and a better personal leave policy.

“We don’t have much in the way of paid time off,” Isaac Meadows, a production team member in assembly, told me. “Money comes secondary in all our conversations.”

Workers at Volkswagen have no sick time, and annual plant closures eat into their time-off bank. Meadows has ninety-six hours of paid time off. “When we have our scheduled shutdowns in the winter and in the summer, the company takes most of it,” he said. “And then when we do come back to work, we’re required to work a lot of Saturdays.”

Workers want to take back their weekends, or at least receive more notice if they are scheduled to work on the weekend on top of earning time and half. They currently are notified of weekend work on Thursday and earn time and half only if they’ve worked over forty hours during the week.

Zach Costello, a trainer at the plant, said the last union drive in 2019, which the union lost narrowly by fifty-seven votes, outmaneuvered by political and company opposition, was marred because the UAW needed to clean house.

At the time, a Justice Department investigation revealed long-standing corruption in the union, including embezzlement, kickbacks, and collusion with employers. Thirteen union officials went to jail, including two former presidents, after pleading guilty to embezzlement and racketeering charges.

“When you don’t see something good coming from unions, you assume that they have no purpose, because it seems like an extra step that you don’t need,” he said.

With reformers at the helm, the UAW no longer carries the patina of a union mired in corruption and complacency, as do-nothing leaders in the pocket of management settled one subpar contract after another.

Back in 2019, my coworkers “couldn’t point to a time in their lives where they were watching the news and saw, ‘Oh, my God, look what they did,” said Costello in reference to gains of the Big 3 stand-up strike. “That’s amazing. We can do that.”

The UAW has faced repeated defeats at Volkswagen and other automakers. But while the companies succeeded in routing their workers in forming a union, the defeats were never complete. A nucleus of workplace organizers, a group that refused to accept the bosses’ tyrannical power over them, remained. When the Big 3 autoworkers bested the auto companies in their strike last year and notched landmark contracts, they were ready to stand up and renew their organizing push.

Yolanda Peoples, a third-generation autoworker on the engine assembly line, is one of those worker-leaders who was hired in 2011, when the plant opened, attracting eighty-five thousand applications for two thousand jobs. People said the organizing committee got to 50 percent a lot sooner than in previous drives thanks to the use of electronic cards. While all three shifts are covered by the organizing committee, they are also vocal in their support of the union drive.

In previous drives, “the people that were pushing for the UAW, it was like we were part of a secret society,” she remembered. “We had to be real hush-hush about it because we didn’t want to get in any trouble with HR because we said the word ‘union.’ So it was real hard for us to get the word around to our coworkers.” As they again have entered the organizing arena, worker-leaders have learned from these past defeats.

But the terrain of struggle inside the plant has also changed over the years. That change includes the backgrounds of the plant’s workforce and a broadly representative organizing committee.

In 2014, nine out of ten workers at the plant were white and the majority of them men. Chattanooga’s population is 184,000, with 59 percent of residents white and 29 percent black, according to the latest census estimates. Racist dog whistles were effective at dividing the workforce. The conservative front group Americans for Tax Reform rented billboards around Chattanooga emblazoned with the message: “UNITED AUTO OBAMA WORKERS.”

That divide-and-conquer tactic is less effective now, especially among former union members. Meadows was a union worker in Reno, Nevada. Coming from a union stronghold, he said the biggest obstacle for the campaign was overcoming the South’s deep-seated skepticism and hostility to unions, especially among younger workers who learn anti-unionism from family members. The UAW has been in the crosshairs of the state’s Republican politicians and outside lobbyists from Washington, DC.

But Meadows said that among his Nigerian, Vietnamese, Colombian, and Ukrainian coworkers, there are different sentiments toward unions. “I think because of our great diversity, it’s diluted some of that Southern political mentality. And so it’s making the conversation easier.”

Meadows said Volkswagen prides itself on being a globally progressive company. That has had some impact on its workforce, recently celebrating the contributions of African Americans during Black History Month. The question is whether, should workers win their election, the company will translate those lofty progressive values into bargaining a contract to recognize the contributions of Meadows, Peoples, Costello, and thousands of their coworkers in making it a successful company.

“We take pride in the work we do,” said Victor Vaughn, an assembly worker on the logistics line last month. “We want to be recognized for what we do, not be taken advantage of.”

Today, in a union press release, he said: “We are voting yes for our union because we want Volkswagen to be successful.” But he says that success shouldn’t come at the cost of bodily injury.

“Just the other day, I was almost hit by four five-hundred-plus-pound crates while I was driving to deliver parts,” said Vaughn. “That incident should’ve been followed up within the hour, but even after I clocked out no one asked me about it. Volkswagen has partnered with unionized workforces around the world to make their plants safe and successful. That’s why we’re voting for a voice at Volkswagen here in Chattanooga.”

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Tennessee

Report: Tennessee among highest rates of road rage shootings in US

Published

2 hours ago

April 29, 2024

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Report: Tennessee among highest rates of road rage shootings in US | WPLN News

On Air – 90.3 WPLN-FM

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Tennessee

Alabama Crimson Tide Softball Scores One Run, Escapes Disaster vs Tennessee Vols

Published

9 hours ago

April 28, 2024

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Alabama Crimson Tide Softball Scores One Run, Escapes Disaster vs Tennessee Vols

Alabama (32-14, 9-12) drops two of three to Tennessee (37-9, 16-5) in their final home games at Rhoads before the post-season. Bama is ninth in the SEC standings.

GAME 1: TENNESSEE 5, ALABAMA 0 – Pretzel Logic Day

The two-hit wonders were back at it again. But this time, the Crimson Tide matched those two hits with two errors . Is that bad? Yeah, I think that is bad. #FireAdamArbour

Kayla Beaver (L, 14-7) got the start and gave up a run on a sac fly from Kiki Milloy in the first. Beaver would strike out the next two batters and stonewall the Vols for the next three innings until the 5th. In that frame, she allowed a leadoff double and a walk. Kenleigh Cahalan fielded a grounder on the next play but threw wide and an unearned runner came around to score. Cahalan got the error but truth be told, it should be shared with Emma Broadfoot and whoever coaches defense. In most places in America and Japan and Australia, they teach a first baseman at a young age to come off the bag if a throw is wide. But Emma tried to hold the bag and ball ticked off her glove.

Down 3-0 in the top of the 7th inning, the Tide still had a little bit of hope. But The Gut® stomped all over those hopes by bringing in Jaala Torrence who looks like she already has an eye on the door. Milloy led off with a double and Zaida Puni followed with her twelfth homer of the season to deep center field to put the game WAY out of reach at 5-0.

The Crimson Tide had a few chances to score. They stranded seven runners on base including two in scoring position in the third and runners at first and second in the fourth.
Bailey Dowling had the other error.

GAME 2: TENNESSEE 2, ALABAMA 0 – Head Bobbled

Compared to this game, Friday’s game looked like a bombastic bonanza of hits. The Crimson Tide managed all of one hit against Karlyn Pickens (W, 17-5) and it was a bunt single by Kristen White that traveled about eight feet. Once again, the Crimson Tide matched that total in errors.

Freshman Alabama pitcher Jocelyn Briski (L, 7-3) had another fine effort wasted by the Wet-Noodle-Bat-Hole-In-Glove-Brigade. With two outs and bases empty in the 2nd inning, Cahalan let a slower grounder slip right on by her while lazy outfielders did not have the play properly backed up. This mental error allowed the runner to get all the way to second base. The next batter singled and Bama was in a 1-0 hole.

Briski made one mistake on a solo homer to left field in the 4th inning. Other than that, it was a winnable performance.

After White’s aforementioned hit in the 5th, Cahalan lined into a 5-3 double play. Broadfoot’s walk in the 2nd inning was the only other Tide base runner.

GAME 3: ALABAMA 1, TENNESSEE 0 – Miracle Answered

Alabama escaped disaster on the back of Beaver’s (W, 15-7) complete game two-hit shutout, a Cahalan triple and an antiquated slap single RBI by Kristen White. This game is about the worst thing that could happen to this program. Alabama winning 1-0 on a slap helps justify Patrick Murphy’s dinosaur approach to softball. At this rate, he will never change his ways and Greg Byrne will not pay any attention to the goings-on at Rhoads Stadium until they hit rock bottom.

White also had an error.

NOTES

This is by far the worst Alabama softball team I have ever followed. But it is not a disappointment. In order to have that, one has to actually have high expectations. The warning signs have been there for years going back to Skylar Wallace’s ouster. Who was the last batter that the Tide has had who the opposing team truly feared? Probably Bailey Hemphill and maybe Kaylee Tow in her junior year (her senior year was awful) both in 2021. Can you imagine where this program would be had Montana Fouts gone to school somewhere else?
With an SEC record of 9-12, Team 28 will have to sweep Auburn next weekend in order to keep from having the first losing record in conference play in school history.
Before Sunday’s 1-0 win, Alabama has been shut out four times in the last five games. They scored one run over the last four games.
Over the last 43 innings Alabama has scored runs in only two innings.
Tennessee pitching was outstanding. But its their defense that really shined. The Vols are so fundamentally good and slick fielders. They had no errors in the series.
Bama had errors in each of the three games.
In Game 1, Kendal Clark struck out in her first two plate appearance. To help build her confidence, The Gut® benched her for Larissa Preuitt’s noodle bat (.191) who grounded out with a runner on first base. Preuitt has one hit against Power teams this season – that is if you consider Virginia a power team – and nine overall in 47 at bats. Clark did not play in the finale (injury? coach’s decision?).
Torrence – God bless her sweet heart – has given up at least one run in each of her last seven outings.

Poll

The Gut®’s bewildering move to bring in Torrence in the 7th inning of Game 1 can only be explained by which of the following?

10%

He wants everyone to be a part of the misery.

(6 votes)
5%

He keeps hoping Lupus (Bad News Bears reference) will hit a 5-run home run.

(3 votes)
31%

He raised the white flag and wanted to save Beaver for the next game.

(19 votes)
13%

He is honoring Brad Bohannon.

(8 votes)
0%

He has short term amnesia.

(0 votes)
40%

He has lost his bloody mind.

(24 votes)

60 votes total

Vote Now

Lauren Esman was DH on Sunday and went 1-3.
Alabama hit .143 as a team on the weekend. The Tide had 10 hits, four walks, and one HBP. They had 14 strikeouts and four errors.
0-FERS: Riley Valentine (0-8), Larissa Preuitt (0-3), Jenna Johnson (0-6), Lauren Johnson (0-5), Abby Duchscherer (0-4), Kendal Clark (0-5).
Friday’s win for UT was Karen Weekly 1300th career coaching W. She spent five years at UT-Chattanooga before moving up the road in 2002.

MVP

BRISKI – Complete game hard luck loss, one earned run allowed.
BEAVER – one CG win, one hard luck loss, one unearned run allowed.
WHITE – 4-6, 1 RBI

UPCOMING ALABAMA SCHEDULE

Thursday, May 02 at Auburn 7p.m. CT ESPNU
Friday, May 03 at Auburn 5p.m. CT SEC Network
Saturday, May 04 at Auburn 11a.m. CT SEC Network

Poll

Was Sunday’s win bad for the program?

#RollTide #Team28

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Tennessee Legend Candace Parker Announces Retirement From Basketball | Rocky Top Insider

Published

16 hours ago

April 28, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee Legend Candace Parker Announces Retirement From Basketball | Rocky Top Insider

Photo via Yahoo Sports

Tennessee and WNBA legend Candace Parker is retiring from basketball, she announced on her Instagram on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m retiring,” Parker wrote in her post. “I promised I’d never cheat the game & that I’d leave it in a better place than I came into it. The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it’s time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it.”

Parker is one of the most storied basketball players of all time. Playing 16 seasons in the WNBA, Parker won WNBA Championships with three teams, was a seven-time First Team All-WNBA selection, the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year and two-time MVP.

An extremely versatile player, Parker averaged 16 points, 8.5 rebounds and four assists per game over the course of her career. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged 17-plus points per game in eight different seasons topping out with a 20.6 point and 10.8 rebound per game season in 2010.

More From RTI: Ohio State Center Felix Okpara Talks Signing With Tennessee Basketball

Parker was dominant in a three-year career at Tennessee, earning Associated Press First Team All-American honors twice and winning the Wooden Award twice. She averaged 19.4 points and 8.8 rebounds over the course of her career and 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game in her junior season.

A Naperville, Illinois native, Parker helped lead Tennessee to National Championships in 2007 and 2008— the final National Championships in legendary coach Pat Summitt’s career. In her retirement post, Parker discussed the impact Summitt has had on her life.

“My mission in life, like Pat Summitt always said, is to ‘chase people and passions and you will never fail.’ Being a wife & mom still remains priority #1 & I’ve learned that time flies, so I plan to enjoy my family to the fullest!” Parker wrote.

Parker’s 2008 basketball season is legendary. After leading Tennessee to the 2008 National Championship she made her WNBA debut that summer and averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while earning WNBA Rookie of the Year and First Team All-WNBA honors.

Parker has broken into broadcasting in recent years and has shined as a studio analyst for CBS, TBS and TNT during the NCAA Tournament in recent years. In her post, Parker stated her plans to continue broadcasting while also exploring other business ventures.

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