NASHVILLE – Top Volkswagen officials came under harsh questioning from a Chattanooga Republican lawmaker today as he charged the German auto manufacturer is a “magnet for organized labor, intentionally.”
During a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the state Economic and Community Development’s budget, which includes $165.8 million in proposed state incentives to the company, Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, repeatedly drilled David Geanacopoulos, Volkswagen America’s general counsel about its labor policies.
Watson said the incentives for Volkswagen “will give Southeast Tennessee a big foothold in the automotive industry particularly in research and development and development of a new line of VW vehicles” – a planned SUV.
“However, Mr. Chairman and committee members,” Watson said, “VW is a magnet for organized labor, intentionally.”
He questioned Geanacopoulos over continued United Auto Workers’ efforts to represent workers, which failed last year in a close vote of plant employees. Opposition was led by U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and other elected GOP officials, including Watson.