WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - Three Democratic U.S. Tuesday questioned the decision by Volkswagen AG's U.S. Earlier this month, the largest German automaker won its bid to put off a union election for 1,700 workers at the Chattanooga plant until its challenge to a smaller United Auto Workers bargaining unit at the factory is settled. The National Labor Relations Board in a single-sentence, 2-1 decision on May 3 granted Volkswagen's motion to stay an election petition filed by some of its workers last month. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Sherrod Brown of Ohio wrote to Scott Keogh, president of Volkswagen Group of America, on Tuesday, expressing "deep concern with delays" to the election. Volkswagen did not immediately comment Tuesday. In December 2015, 160 skilled trade maintenance workers voted to unionize and affiliate with the UAW, the union said. VW declined to bargain with the union, saying the unit needed to include both skilled trade maintenance workers and production workers. VW began production at the plant in 2011 and builds the Passat car and the Atlas SUV. The senators "have heard that facility supervisors in Chattanooga are engaging in direct anti-union conversations with workers in the workplace, including pulling workers off the production line to ask if they support the union," they said. In February 2014, workers at the plant narrowly voted against union representation, which had been seen as organized labor's best chance to expand in the U.S. UAW membership has plummeted 75 percent since 1979 and now stands at about 396,000. The UAW has failed for two decades to organize foreign automaker plants in the United States.
But there aren't any cooled seats, and certainly no digital dash. The Civic's gauge cluster has a somewhat awkward design, so it's hard to read key information at a glance. Finally, the touchscreen's small buttons can make it frustrating to use while in motion. In terms of tech features that deliver both a real wow factor and excellent usability, the Jetta has the edge. Under the Jetta's hood you'll find a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 147 horsepower and returns an EPA-estimated 34 mpg in combined city/highway driving. As an option, the Civic comes with a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 174 horsepower and returning 36 mpg combined. The Jetta's down on power compared to the Civic's turbo engine, and it also has a less sophisticated suspension design than the Civic. The results of that design are less engaging handling and a slightly busier ride when the pavement gets rough. The Jetta has enough torque that around town it doesn't feel slow, especially when paired with the smooth automatic eight-speed transmission.
However, the Civic is quicker, livelier and just more fun when equipped with the optional turbocharged engine. The Civic sedan has an extra cubic foot of storage space (15.1 cubic feet versus 14.1 in the Jetta), while the Jetta has about an extra half-inch of headroom for rear passengers. Both possess an impressive amount of rear legroom - enough for most adults. The Jetta feels slightly more open and airy, but in either case, you get a compact sedan with almost midsize space. Honda managed to fit all this space into a smaller package: The Civic is almost 3 inches shorter than the Jetta, and it weighs slightly less. Honda's excellent packaging goes hand in hand with excellent build quality. The Civic's interior feels solid and sturdy. The new Jetta is certainly a step up from past iterations, and its interior design lends it a more upscale appearance. Volkswagen is more sure than ever of its product, and the company is backing it up with an impressive six-year/72,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. The Civic's bumper-to-bumper lasts three years or 36,000 miles.
While Honda has a great history of making reliable vehicles, Volkswagen's new warranty adds peace of mind. 19,440 for a base model that's functional but lacks the upgrades that really make the car stand out. 27,695. These prices include destination fees. 1,000 on midlevel Civic trims. The Civic comes in more than one body style, namely a hatchback and coupe, and has sporty variants, the Si and the Type R, so Honda offers a lot more variety. EDMUNDS SAYS: The new Volkswagen Jetta is a big step forward for VW: It's roomy, just like the last Jetta, but it now has a wow factor that can rival some cars costing thousands more. The warranty coverage is impressive, too. The Civic offers all the same practicality in a smartly packaged, solidly built vehicle that's both efficient and engaging to drive. With pricing so close, and the Jetta's six-year warranty to level the playing field with Honda's reputation for trouble-free ownership, choosing between the two cars comes down to deciding what you want from a compact sedan. Go with the Jetta if in-car technology is a priority for you. But for sharp handling and zippy power, the Civic is going to be more appealing. This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. Will Kaufman is a staff writer at Edmunds. This undated photo provided by Honda shows the 2018 Honda Civic Sedan. While automakers still offer inexpensive utilitarian trim levels of small cars, they are increasingly creating high-end, luxury-like versions as well. The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta is compared to the king of compacts, and one of the best small cars on the market, the Honda Civic.
