City Councilman Ron Elliott said he wants the county to pass a resolution in support of the United Auto Workers in their contract talks with Chattanooga Volkswagen.
The resolution is expected to be considered on Sept. 9. The council does not meeting next week due to the Labor Day holiday.
The Chattanooga labor Council said, "A group of more than 15, labor, faith and community groups urge Chattanooga city council officials to vote yes on this resolution, to stand together with workers at Volkswagen Chattanooga as they seek to bring their first ever contract negotiations to a successful close.
"Recruiting the Volkswagen plant to Chattanooga was the result of decades of hard work by local leadership and hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, leading to significant economic prosperity for the greater Chattanooga area.
However, the individuals working at Volkswagen have long documented significant disparity in pay and benefits, as well as significant, unaddressed health and safety concerns from working at Volkswagen.
"In fact, three out of four (73 percent) Volkswagen Chattanooga workers report either being forced to choose between paying for medical care and other essential expenditures like rent and food or having borrowed money or declared bankruptcy to cover medical expenses.
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It’s long overdue for Volkswagen Chattanooga workers to share in the prosperity they have helped create and turn manufacturing jobs into safe, long-term family sustaining careers."
Chattanooga Area Central Labor Council President Geoffrey Meldahl said, "The resolution shows how our community stands together with VW workers at this pivotal moment. Better pay and health benefits, higher-value skills and more opportunities to advance are the keys to a brighter economic future for Chattanooga and America.”
The Chattanooga Area Central Labor Council (CALC), UAW Local 42 members, and a number of faith, labor and community groups said they plan to rally outside City Hall "to demand passage of a City Council resolution affirming Volkswagen (VW) workers’ right to a fair contract."
Labor officials said, "As the resolution will be discussed over the coming weeks at the City Council, the message from Chattanooga's working class is clear: It’s time for VW workers to get what they deserve, the contract demands are reasonable, and what’s good for VW workers is good for Chattanooga."
The following organizations have signed onto to support the passing of this resolution: UAW 42, IATSE 140, Chattanooga Area Labor Council, TN4ALL, CALEB, Orchard Church, United Campus Workers, Seafarers International Union, SEIU 205, The TN Democracy Network, United By Change, Jobs with Justice of East TN, Eastdale Village UMC, Chattanooga Unity League, United Steel Workers 15120, American Federation of Musicians 80, Jobs with Justice National, and Chattanooga Democratic Socialists of America.