Volkswagen-Chattanooga has officially recognized the American Council of Employees as a representative of both hourly and salaried employees under the company’s Community Organization Engagement Policy.
“We are excited to be able to provide VW-Chattanooga employees with a truly locally, direct voice in discussions with management and we are ready to take the next step towards establishing a works council here at the plant,” said ACE interim-President Sean Moss in reference to the German model of employee representation seen at the automaker’s other facilities.
“Being locally led and having so many members in both the hourly and salaried groups, ACE is far more in line with Volkswagen’s philosophy of employee engagement and the works council model of inclusion and direct representation,” added Mr. Moss.
ACE submitted membership lists to an external auditor in January and then underwent a verification process which culminated Monday with the announcement that the organization represents between 15 percent and 30 percent of employees in both the hourly and salaried employee groups—a fact that distinguishes the organization from the UAW, which represents a portion of the hourly workforce.
Under Volkswagen-Chattanooga’s Community Organization Engagement Policy, ACE is now entitled to post materials and regularly hold meetings inside the plant, enter formal discussions with Volkswagen management, and meet with VW-Chattanooga’s Human Resources staff on behalf of the hourly and salaried employee groups as often as every two weeks.
“The majority of VW-Chattanooga employees want a works council but don’t want to join an outdated, Detroit-led union in order to get it," said ACE member Tom Haney. "Now we officially have an alternative in ACE, and with each new member we take one step closer to a works council and real employee representation.”