The United Auto Workers was dealt a stinging defeat tonight, with a majority of employees at a Volkswagen plant here voting against joining the union after a high-profile opposition campaign led by Republican politicians,
miscellaneous evil-dooers,
and outside political groups.
Whereas, the pro-union good guys only got teeny, tiny little nuggets of support from UAW headquarters in Detroit.
Company and union executives announced the outcome at a news conference at the plant, hours after polls closed. The results, still to be certified by the National Labor Relations Board, were close: With 89 percent participation, 712 workers voted no, and 626 voted yes.
For the math-unabled, that's 53% 'nein' and 47% 'ja'. Champ would call that a super-mandate. ABC news headlined it as 87 votes short of a major victory.
The loss came in spite of an unprecedented level of support from the company being organized. Frank Fischer, CEO and chairman of Volkswagen Chattanooga - who had encouraged the idea of starting a German-style "works council" at the plant, like those in place at Volkswagen's other factories - even seemed saddened by the outcome.
"Works Council" - how socialist! |