UAW reaches top tier of VW labor policy in Tenn.

NASHVILLE — The United Auto Workers on Monday won permission to do some limited organizing activity at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee, giving the union its first formal role within a foreign-owned auto plant in the South.

Volkswagen said that an independent auditor had verified that the UAW’s Local 42 had signed up at least 45 percent of workers at the Chattanooga plant. Under Volkswagen’s new labor policy, that will entitle the union to biweekly discussions with managers and to frequent access to the plant for meetings, notices, and other activity.

While the policy doesn’t address collective bargaining, UAW secretary treasurer Gary Casteel called it a start for achieving that goal at the plant, where he said the union represents more than half the workers.

The UAW narrowly lost a union vote at the plant in February after a campaign that included warnings from Republican lawmakers that state incentives needed to expand the plant could be threatened if the union won.

Casteel said that negotiations with Volkswagen management later resulted in the union dropping a National Labor Relations Board challenge in exchange for eventually being recognized as the representative of its members at the plant.

‘‘We believe Volkswagen made this commitment in good faith, and we believe the company will honor this commitment,’’ Casteel said.

Under federal labor laws, a company is allowed — but not required — to recognize a union that has signed up at least half of all workers. UAW opponents, including Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, have called on Volkswagen to require another secret ballot.

Organizing foreign-owned auto plants has been seen as key for the UAW to revive its fortunes. Union membership stood at about 391,000 at the start of this year — from its 1979 peak of 1.5 million.

Volkswagen’s policy of giving labor groups access to its plant stands in contrast to other foreign automakers in the South, which have largely tried to tamp down union activity.

The company has said the policy is aimed at developing a ‘‘constructive dialogue’’ between workers and management.

VW management has been under pressure from worker representatives on the automaker’s board in Germany because the plant is alone among the company’s worldwide plants without labor representation.

Source: The Boston Globe