A rather small group of Volkswagen workers at Chattanooga plant in Tennessee moved one step closer to being represented by the UAW or the United Auto Workers union.

On Wednesday, the National Labor Relations Board on denied VW's request for a review of an election held in December , where the majority of skilled-trades workers at the German automaker's Chattanooga plant supported to be represented by union organization. The board said that Volkswagen's request "raises no substantial issues warranting review."

On Friday, the New Jersey authorities filed a lawsuit against the German carmaker, Volkswagen AG and its luxury units for excess diesel emissions connected to its models. The count now goes up to four U.S. states to have taken legal action against the car maker.

Martin Winterkorn, the CEO of Volkswagen, the German car maker hit by an emission scandal, resigned on Wednesday. A name is expected to be announced on Friday, his replacement as the company's new chief executive.

Six years have passed since Volkswagen first moved into Chattanooga, Tenn. The auto manufacturer will today begin a new chapter as it gears up to manufacture a new vehicle that will create approximately 2,000 more jobs and will add an investment of added $600 million to the already existent plant there.

At an auto show news conference in Detroit, German automaker Volkswagen AG said that it plans to make an investment of $7 billion in North America in the next five-year period --- a move which will help the company speed up its growth in the region.

Volkswagen, the world's third-largest automaker, which is considering  whether to make a new SUV in Mexico or Tennessee, shocked Southern union rivals by engaging in talks with the United Auto Workers about creating a German-style "works council" at the Chattanooga, Tennessee plant.