Tenesseee Republican Senator Bob Corker issued a warning to Volkswagen AG if the German carmaker allows the United Auto Workers to represent its workers, it would be its 'biggest mistake',

The remarks were quoted by German newspaper Handelsblatt. The paper reported Corker as saying, "I think they are being very naive to think they can bring the German model, embrace the UAW and think it's going to be productive,"

The senator had criticized any UAW influence in car plants in the South because he partly blames the demise of Detroit as the US auto production center on unions. 

For its part, the UAW sought Volkswagen AG to voluntarily recognize it as the best choice to represent its workers at its Tennessee plant. This would give the union leverage to go into unionizing or becoming the bargaining unit for foreign owned automaker plants in the US South. 

A meeting was set between labor leaders of Volkswagen and UAW to discuss UAW representation. VW had also confirmed it was in discussion with UAW about union representation.