Those at Volkswagen responsible for misleading the government over emissions from VW vehicles should be punished, but VW should not be forced to close its U.S. auto plant in Chattanooga or have plant workers suffer for design problems made in Germany, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said today.
Jackson, the Chicago civil rights leader who heads the Rainbow Coalition and has worked with VW to diversify its staff and supplier network, urged the German auto maker "to correct but not close" its production lines.
"If they intentionally tried to misled the government about emission standards, that is obviously a crime and whomever concocted the scheme must be punished," Jackson said during a meeting today with reporters and editors of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. "But not the workers. We need Volkswagen in Chattanooga. We need serious corrective measures, but not to close down the operation."
Jackson called Volkswagen's use of defeat devices to fool emission tests on diesel engines since 2009 "a heinous crime" that deserves corresponding punishment.
"But we should not go so far as to close them (VW facilities)," he said. "We must separate the bath water from the baby in this instance. The more than 2,000 people who work here and own homes and businesses in Chattanooga should not be punished because of some scheme concocted in Germany."
Rev. Jackson has pushed Volkswagen since it came to Chattanooga in 2008 to diversify its staff and supplier network. Jackson said VW has made progress, but the auto industry needs to do better, especially in developing more minority-owned auto dealers.
Rainbow PUSH is having an automotive summit on Friday in Chicago to examine ways to boost minority participation among auto dealers, suppliers and hiring by major U.S. car makers.
"Beyond the issue of emission standards is the issue of inclusion in dealerships, suppliers, attorneys and marketing agencies," Jackson said.
Volkswagen, Audi and Bentley have 600 dealerships and only six are African American owned. Among 357 Mercedes Benz dealerships, only three are owned by African Americans.