NAACP officials said in Chattanooga on Friday they back those Chattanooga Volkswagen employees who want union representation.
Gloria Sweet-Love, state president, said, "The NAACP is here today standing for what is right – safe working conditions, livable wages, fair opportunities for advancement and the opportunity to unionize.
"For too long, our workers have been force for fend for themselves -- by themselves – drowning in a sea of poverty. Enough is enough. We believe that unions are the great equalizer in the fight against economic inequality. We refuse to stand by idly while Chattanooga workers are denied the ability to decide whether or not to organize without coercion, intimidation, or undue pressure from National or State political figures.
"The fact remains that workers have a right to representation. The NAACP is working to ensure that all workers have that same opportunity - if they choose - to join together to bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.
"Our workers are smart, hard working individuals who deserve respect. Everyday workers deserve the right to negotiate a better life for themselves and their families.
"The presence of a union gives the workers a voice in quality healthcare benefits, pension plans, and wages. If we want to strengthen Chattanooga’s middle class, then we have got to restore workers' bargaining rights. Workers deserve the opportunity to organize."