The Tennessean (10/17/13) G. Chambers Williams III

Four workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, TN, have filed a charge with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board alleging that Volkswagen is coercing them into joining the United Auto Workers union. Volkswagen management had suggested the plant would not get a new vehicle to build unless workers agreed to join the union. The plant is competing with another in Mexico for the new vehicle; a decision is expected by the end of the year.

Workers say their right to choose whether to engage in self-organization to form, join, or assist labor organizations is infringed by the threat to withhold the vehicle. Three of the four workers also were among the eight workers who filed a separate charge against UAW alleging they had been misled into signing union cards.