Thursday, February 13, 2014

VW has a problem in Tennesse. The politicians are attacking their business model.

If VW wants a business model whereby their employees are represented at their company table, they have a right to it.

German companies do have interesting business models. They INVEST in their employees. It isn't just VW. Siemans is the same way (click here).

Siemans doesn't necessarily have unions, but, their business model is to treat their employees well with good pay and benefit structure while taking an interest and encouraging the employees' careers. Siemans does not want to lose employees once they hire them. I am quite sure VW sees their employees the same way.

By Scott Martelle
February 13, 2014
Thursday is the second of three days (click here) of a union-organizing vote at Volkswagen’s Tennessee auto assembly plant, and it’s being tracked like a congressional special election. Is it a bellwether for the state of modern labor? Or is it a one-off that says nothing of significance beyond the confines of the VW factory floor?


It’s a bit of both. The vote has attracted an extraordinary amount of outside interest and pressure, including misleading public billboards, bizarre claims on local talk-radio stations and a general frothing from the anti-union right that worker-management cooperation is the first step toward Stalinism. The organizing vote also seems to have brought out the worst in some Republican state politicians, who have threatened future financial help for VW projects if the United Auto Workers wins the election. As my colleague Jon Healey wrote Wednesday, that is an inappropriate threat....

VW's corporate culture is under attack. I realize they want their employees to vote and carry out a democratic process, but, the employees are influenced by politicians rather than those that have their best interest at heart. Americans regularly vote against their best interest because of a 'humbler than thou' life strategy. Most workers in what is considered Red States bow to their paycheck with reverence rather than expecting to receive the payroll and benefits they receive. Most of these states are Right to Work states whereby workers have no rights. Strange name, "Right to Work" which provides no right to the employees and/or unions that act in their best interest.

Basically, a Right to Work state is a ruthless business model. If an employee has blue eyes and for some reason the employer finds that a liability they can be fired. Employees are not valued on their performance, so much as being given work for them to be grateful for, therefore, employees are under chronic stress on the job to please regardless of the demands. There are no healthy boundaries in the employer-employee in these states. There is no respect for 'the person,' but, the product. The Right to Work states basically pander to employers while viewing the 'citizen workers' as inherently lazy and a financial liability they would not expect the employer tolerate for any reason. It is a really lousy relationship of a human being to their work.

It is not for me to say the motivations of politicians such as Mr. Corker. Interesting name for the quality of leadership he provides. "A real corker," one with a peculiar sense of humor. I mean I don't read minds. But, I have ask myself, why would Corker be so verbose about a company process that is part of their business model? What reward would there be? Other than perhaps an uptick in votes.

Would it not be fun to destroy VW's business model that would carry over into it's operations globally? I mean once VW gets a 'real taste' for higher profits without employee representative it will take off like fire in their global corporation. 

Ah, yes. See Corker knows that the USA has the answer for every profitable operation in the world. Doesn't VW know that? VW must be oppressed as a corporation whereby they have First Amendment Rights in the USA. VW doesn't know what freedom is. Of course they don't know that yet, but, Corker will prove it to them. 

VW has been introduced to the ruthlessness of the American politician with agendas that disrespect human beings. The Corkers in the USA rather austerity even if it means dominating the VW business model. What Mr. Corker doesn't appreciate is that a business knows what works best for their corporate outcomes. Mr. Corker has no respect for the workers VW is employing and it would seem the corporation itself, he only identifies 'the underlying profits' in robbing employees of a life that will contribute to a vibrant economy.

I value VW. I value their employment of American citizens. I think they have a magnificent business model and I hope it catches on across the country, because Americans need to be appreciated again and know they are important to a better and bigger economy. I wish VW the greatest degree of success on every enterprise they engage.