UAW and Bob King want Volkswagen dues money. We won't cause trouble boss.

The UAW and its president "Good housekeeping" * Bob King, is trying to get workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga Tenn. to sign on to the UAW.  The UAW has to get more than 30% of the workers at the plant in order to hold a representation election.  to sign the cards.

According to Reuters, the VW bosses, including the head of US operations, had a closed door meeting with workers at the plant and when one worker commented that they didn't need a Union there was much applause. Another worker commented that "not to many people around here want a Union". Given that this was in front of the bosses, under normal circumstances it is highly likely these were the resident bootlickers but given the disastrous record of the UAW leadership when it comes to defending their members, it's quite possible the comments were genuine.  It's clear to anyone whose been paying attention that not only the UAW leadership but the entire top leadership of organized Labor want to be partners in the business not fighters for workers rights and economic interests.

"King is eager to show that a new UAW has emerged from the wreckage of Detroit and can be a better partner with management" says the Reuters report. And King boasts of the four year management  pleasing contracts he negotiated with GM, Ford and Chrysler "as an example of the UAW's flexibility"

Jeez! It's hard enough to write this stuff never mind read it.  "Wreckage of Detroit" I wasn't even born here but we all owe the workers of Detroit, Flint, Lansing and the state's auto industry a lot, they paved the way for a better life for so many of us and contributed to the wealth of this society with their sweat and blood, generations of them.

Perhaps those guys that stood up in front of the VW bosses and opposed a Union are right.  With King promising their boss a partnership perhaps it is best that the workers carry one monkey on their backs rather than two.

*Read more about the UAW leadership's cozy relationship with the auto bosses under the UAW tag to the right under "Labels".