jschmidt

Did you hear this somewhere, or figure it out all on your own. Because to be honest, it is one of the more fantastical anti-government stories I've heard this decade. And that's saying a lot.

Tom_with_a_Truck

They would have gotten away with it if they'd have just unionized the plant like the Obama administration wanted. Quid pro quo.

As for environmental disaster - I call BS. The regulations that the EPA dreams up these days are long on politics and short on science. They, and other federal agencies, have full ability to create laws and rules without congressional approval these days. You wouldn't be able to drive or even stand near the TDI and know it was a diesel if they didn't tell you. I test drove one a few years back.

Tom_with_a_Truck

If you lived here and knew a few of the employees, and saw the local news, you would be well aware of what went on.

gone postal

The union elections are run tighter than public elections, with more monitors and controls in place. You don't just "unionize" your plant, the workers have to vote for it. The vote was held, the UAW lost, end of story.The election was overseen by the DoL, and the vote was certified by the Obama administration.

Tom_with_a_Truck

The EPA was full aware of the issue for a few years. It was a bargaining tool they were using to get VW to do what they wanted. No, the UAW didn't directly do it, but the Obama administration wanted to use VW to break the "right-to-work" south and support one of the left's voting blocks.

gone postal

Again, it wasn't the EPA, it was brought to the attention of the EPA after researchers found the issue, and the EPA took action as they are required to do by law. No cabal, no conspiracy.

<See the avatar? Been involved in Union politics for years before I went over to the dark side. I've heard stories from workers that make me laugh with all the conspiracy written into the reality.

X grievance cause Y action by management. No, that's not what REALLY happened...No, sunshine, I wrote the original grievance.

Truly amazing the fiction that comes from the workroom floor.
.

Tom_with_a_Truck

There was more than one election. They even tried to use the fraudulent "card check" method to get the union in. VW came out in favor of the unionization, citing some BS about cooperative workplaces. Having spent 11 years in a closed-shop union position when I lived in Ohio, I can assure you that "union" and "cooperate" are two opposite ends of the spectrum. Voluntary membership is another story, but a closed shop creates a monopoly workforce, and one decidedly (in my case) against actually doing much work.
The failure to unionize (I think that there are now some workers that are in the UAW) happened just before they sicked the EPA on VW.

Tom_with_a_Truck

I spent 11 years in a closed shop union. I'm well familiar with the games played.

gone postal

The timelines for the Union elections are pretty much etched in stone from federal law.

'The U of WV investigation started in 14, epa action and fines started rolling in in 2015, the union vote wasn't until Dec 2015.

Bubbabiker

Meanwhile smoke belching bunker oil burning ships are bringing in cheap Chinese goods to the US. And we worry about VW diesel emissions......