The American Council of Employees has become certified as a worker’s union in the Volkswagen Chattanooga, Tennessee plant after at least fifteen percent of the plant’s labor force announced support for the union. The ACE can now raise questions, propose ideas, or give concerns directly to VW on behalf of its membership.
The ACE was formed after the United Auto Workers union failed to gain the vote to become the official union of the plant last year. That historic vote-down by VW employees was a blow to the aged autoworker’s union, which has seen its relevance questioned globally. The new ACE union was certified by both salaried and hourly workers, giving it full rights as an employees’ voice, making it a real contender to take over the UAW’s spot at the plant. The UAW current has about 45 percent of the plant’s wage-earning workforce.
ACE is headed by Sean Moss, elected president, and a council of elected officers. They’ve retained legal counsel and are already in regular discussions with VW management, the union says.
